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Pythagoras of Samos (Greek: Ὁ Πυθαγόρας ὁ Σάμιος, O Pūthagoras o Samios,

"Pythagoras the Samian", or simply Ὁ Πυθαγόρας; born between 580 and 572 BC, died
between 500 and 490 BC) was an Ionian Greek mathematician and founder of the
religious movement called Pythagoreanism. He is often revered as a great
mathematician, mystic and scientist; however some have questioned the scope of his
contributions to mathematics and natural philosophy. Herodotus referred to him as
"the most able philosopher among the Greeks". His name led him to be associated
with Pythian Apollo; Aristippus explained his name by saying, "He spoke (agor-)
the truth no less than did the Pythian (Pyth-)," and Iamblichus tells the story
that the Pythia prophesied that his pregnant mother would give birth to a man
supremely beautiful, wise, and beneficial to humankind.[1]

He is best known for the Pythagorean theorem, which bears his name. Known as "the
father of numbers", Pythagoras made influential contributions to philosophy and
religious teaching in the late 6th century BC. Because legend and obfuscation
cloud his work even more than with the other pre-Socratics, one can say little
with confidence about his life and teachings. We do know that Pythagoras and his
students believed that everything was related to mathematics and that numbers were
the ultimate reality and, through mathematics, everything could be predicted and
measured in rhythmic patterns or cycles. According to Iamblichus of Chalcis,
Pythagoras once said that "number is the ruler of forms and ideas and the cause of
gods and daemons."

He was the first man to call himself a philosopher, or lover of wisdom,[2] and
Pythagorean ideas exercised a marked influence on Plato. Unfortunately, very
little is known about Pythagoras because none of his writings have survived. Many
of the accomplishments credited to Pythagoras may actually have been
accomplishments of his colleagues and successors.

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