Biography of Pythagoras of Samos

Picture of Pythagoras

Pythagoras was born on the Greek island of Samos between 580 BC and 572 BC and died between 500 BC and 490 BC. He is known as "The Father of Numbers."

Among his many great works, Pythagoras is attributed with discovering the mathematical basis of harmonics through his research of string vibrations. He discovered that a vibrating musical string, when stopped half way along its length, would vibrate at twice the frequency. His research into the mathematics of harmonics resulted in the discovery of the Pythagorean Comma.

Pythagoras Picture

Given that Pythagoras was one of the first researchers to reduce physical phenomena to qualitative data, musical frequency into length and ratios, it could be said that Pythagoras is one of the earliest practitioners of Western science.

Pythagoras is known for his great spiritual contributions from his use of music to heal the body and elevate the soul. It is said that when Pythagoras would play music, wild animals would come out from the forest and lay down nearby to listen. Similarly, it is reported that Pythagoras told priests that he could hear the harmony of the spheres and could make sense of the great celestial movements.

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