Interview with Pythagoras


"Number is the ruler of forms and ideas, and the cause of the gods and demons" - Pythagoras

Location: Pythagoras' personal room, Memphis, Egypt

RUIBIN: Good afternoon Mr Pythagoras. This may sound like a joke, but I'm from the year 2008, which is about 2500 years ahead from now. Er... Do you believe me?

PYTHAGORAS: Don't worry, I believe you, as I have always believed that people will be able to travel through time.

RB: Thanks a lot for your co-operation, you just made things much easier. May I ask you a few questions regarding yourself and your disciples?

P: Sure, I'll be glad to answer them.

RB: Thanks a lot. Firstly, may I ask where were you born?

P: I was born in Samos, which is located in southern Greece.

RB: Okay. Did you stay in Samos or migrate to another place?

P: I left Samos when I was around twenty to escape the tyrannical government of Polycrates. I went to Croton, which is located in southern Italy. When I was studying there, I met Thales, who was a famous philosopher, though I didn't know it at that time. He seemed to be impressed with my abilities, for he advised me to come here to Memphis to study with the priests, who were renowned for their wisdom. I followed his advice and I have been here ever since.

RB: How long have you been here?

P: Umm... (thinks) 21 years, if I'm not wrong.

RB: Wow, impressive! Anyway, do you know that in my time, you are known as the "father of mathematics"?

P: That's interesting. Why is that so?

RB: It is because you had discovered a theorem, where the square of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle is equals to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

P: Oh, that? Well, well, I never knew it became so famous.

RB: It's used throughout the world today. By the way, there are claims that the theorem had already been discovered before you. Is that true?

P: Well, yes and no. The Babylonians, who lived about 2000 years earlier, already used it in their measurements, but they only though it was generally true. I discovered that the theorem would always be true.

RB: I see. Anyway, have you written any books?

P: Never. I have always thought that books should not be needed for true philosophers and mathematicians. Why write down your discovery when you can store in it your brain? Putting your works in a book is just an invitation for others to steal it.

RB: Hmm, that's an interesting point of view. Now, may I ask a few questions about your followers?

P: Of course, do go ahead.

RB: Your followers are known as Pythagoreans in my time. Was that their original name?

P: Certainly not, I'm not so proud. My inner circle is called mathematikoi and my outer circle is called akousmatics.

RB: Intriguing names indeed... Well, Pythagoreans are known for their pure lives. Can you give an example?

P: We never eat beans, as we feel that it contains too many different substances and thus it is too impure for us to consume.

RB: I see. What do Pythagoreans usually wear?

P: We always wear white clothes, as it is nice and simple. We also keep long hair and never wear shoes.

RB: Right. What are the interests of Pythagoreans?

P: Philosophy, music and mathematics, but more so in the latter two. We feel that they are extremely important, and they are also two ways of making order out of chaos.

RB: What do you mean by that?

P: Well, music is noise that makes sense and mathematics is a rule for how the world works.

RB: That's the first time I had ever heard someone describe music and mathematics in that way. Besides that, can you tell what kind of life Pythagoreans lead?

P: We follow a structured life of religious teaching, common meals, exercise, reading and philosophical study. We sing hymns to Apollo, the god, regularly too.

RB: Okay. You mentioned that the interests of Pythagoreans are mainly music and mathematics. Do you impart any of it in your daily lives?

P: Yes, we do. We use the lyre to cure the illness of the soul or body and we recite poetry before and after sleep to aid the memory.

RB: That's fascinating. Do Pythagoreans have any beliefs?

P: We consider eating animals as cannibalism and so all of us are vegetarians.

RB: Right. Any other things Pythagoreans believe in?

P: We believe in transmigration too, which means the reincarnation of the soul. We believe that after death, souls have the ability to migrate into the bodies of other beings and that an animal can contain a human soul. I once heard my friend's voice in the bark of a dying dog.

RB: Err... okay. Anyway, what other discoveries did you make in music or mathematics?

P: I discovered something called square numbers, if you know what it is.

RB: Of course, it's used throughout the world as well in my time. How did you discover it?

P: Well, one day, I took four stones and arranged them in the form of a square just for fun. Then, I realised that when two sides of the square was multiplied together, it equaled to the total sum of stones in the square arrangement, hence the name square root.

RB: Pretty unique way of making such an important discovery.

P: Now that I think of it, it is pretty weird.

RB: It is said that you discovered that musical notes could be translated in to mathematical equations. How did you find that out?

P: It was purely coincidental. I was taking a stroll one day when I passed some blacksmiths who were forging some metal. I found that the sounds emanating from their anvils were extremely beautiful and harmonious. I concluded that whatever law that made it happen must be mathematical and could be applied to music. Thus, I went to the blacksmiths and discovered that the reasons behind the melodious sounds was because the anvils were simple ratios of each other, for example, one was half the size of the first, another was two-third the size etc.

RB: That's fascinating. Well, I think I've taken up too much of your precious time, Mr Pythagoras. Thanks a lot for your co-operation. It has been such an honour to meet such an important figure.

P: Not at all, the honour's mine.



List of sources used:

http://www.google.com/
http://sg.yahoo.com/
http://www.ask.com/
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/science/math/pythagoras.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagoras
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pythagoras/
http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Pythagoras.html
http://www.cut-the-knot.org/pythagoras/index.shtml

Why I chose Pythagoras

I chose to write about Pythagoras because I feel that he is an extremely important and one of the most significant characters in the area of mathematics, and that if it was not for him and his discoveries, the world would not be what it is today. His discovery of the Pythagoras Theorem, where the square of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle is equals to the sum of the squares of the other two sides, was one of the most important contributions to mathematics. Without it, it would be a colossal task for architects to plan the layout and dimensions of a building, and for contractors to build it. I also respect him a lot for having the mentality and the discipline to try and discover new theorems. I have also always wondered how long it took for Pythagoras to prove his theorem. Hence, I feel that Pythagoras, out of the names on the list, is the most fascinating and mysterious, thus I chose to research on him.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Interview with Pythagoras


"Number is the ruler of forms and ideas, and the cause of the gods and demons" - Pythagoras

Location: Pythagoras' personal room, Memphis, Egypt

RUIBIN: Good afternoon Mr Pythagoras. This may sound like a joke, but I'm from the year 2008, which is about 2500 years ahead from now. Er... Do you believe me?

PYTHAGORAS: Don't worry, I believe you, as I have always believed that people will be able to travel through time.

RB: Thanks a lot for your co-operation, you just made things much easier. May I ask you a few questions regarding yourself and your disciples?

P: Sure, I'll be glad to answer them.

RB: Thanks a lot. Firstly, may I ask where were you born?

P: I was born in Samos, which is located in southern Greece.

RB: Okay. Did you stay in Samos or migrate to another place?

P: I left Samos when I was around twenty to escape the tyrannical government of Polycrates. I went to Croton, which is located in southern Italy. When I was studying there, I met Thales, who was a famous philosopher, though I didn't know it at that time. He seemed to be impressed with my abilities, for he advised me to come here to Memphis to study with the priests, who were renowned for their wisdom. I followed his advice and I have been here ever since.

RB: How long have you been here?

P: Umm... (thinks) 21 years, if I'm not wrong.

RB: Wow, impressive! Anyway, do you know that in my time, you are known as the "father of mathematics"?

P: That's interesting. Why is that so?

RB: It is because you had discovered a theorem, where the square of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle is equals to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

P: Oh, that? Well, well, I never knew it became so famous.

RB: It's used throughout the world today. By the way, there are claims that the theorem had already been discovered before you. Is that true?

P: Well, yes and no. The Babylonians, who lived about 2000 years earlier, already used it in their measurements, but they only though it was generally true. I discovered that the theorem would always be true.

RB: I see. Anyway, have you written any books?

P: Never. I have always thought that books should not be needed for true philosophers and mathematicians. Why write down your discovery when you can store in it your brain? Putting your works in a book is just an invitation for others to steal it.

RB: Hmm, that's an interesting point of view. Now, may I ask a few questions about your followers?

P: Of course, do go ahead.

RB: Your followers are known as Pythagoreans in my time. Was that their original name?

P: Certainly not, I'm not so proud. My inner circle is called mathematikoi and my outer circle is called akousmatics.

RB: Intriguing names indeed... Well, Pythagoreans are known for their pure lives. Can you give an example?

P: We never eat beans, as we feel that it contains too many different substances and thus it is too impure for us to consume.

RB: I see. What do Pythagoreans usually wear?

P: We always wear white clothes, as it is nice and simple. We also keep long hair and never wear shoes.

RB: Right. What are the interests of Pythagoreans?

P: Philosophy, music and mathematics, but more so in the latter two. We feel that they are extremely important, and they are also two ways of making order out of chaos.

RB: What do you mean by that?

P: Well, music is noise that makes sense and mathematics is a rule for how the world works.

RB: That's the first time I had ever heard someone describe music and mathematics in that way. Besides that, can you tell what kind of life Pythagoreans lead?

P: We follow a structured life of religious teaching, common meals, exercise, reading and philosophical study. We sing hymns to Apollo, the god, regularly too.

RB: Okay. You mentioned that the interests of Pythagoreans are mainly music and mathematics. Do you impart any of it in your daily lives?

P: Yes, we do. We use the lyre to cure the illness of the soul or body and we recite poetry before and after sleep to aid the memory.

RB: That's fascinating. Do Pythagoreans have any beliefs?

P: We consider eating animals as cannibalism and so all of us are vegetarians.

RB: Right. Any other things Pythagoreans believe in?

P: We believe in transmigration too, which means the reincarnation of the soul. We believe that after death, souls have the ability to migrate into the bodies of other beings and that an animal can contain a human soul. I once heard my friend's voice in the bark of a dying dog.

RB: Err... okay. Anyway, what other discoveries did you make in music or mathematics?

P: I discovered something called square numbers, if you know what it is.

RB: Of course, it's used throughout the world as well in my time. How did you discover it?

P: Well, one day, I took four stones and arranged them in the form of a square just for fun. Then, I realised that when two sides of the square was multiplied together, it equaled to the total sum of stones in the square arrangement, hence the name square root.

RB: Pretty unique way of making such an important discovery.

P: Now that I think of it, it is pretty weird.

RB: It is said that you discovered that musical notes could be translated in to mathematical equations. How did you find that out?

P: It was purely coincidental. I was taking a stroll one day when I passed some blacksmiths who were forging some metal. I found that the sounds emanating from their anvils were extremely beautiful and harmonious. I concluded that whatever law that made it happen must be mathematical and could be applied to music. Thus, I went to the blacksmiths and discovered that the reasons behind the melodious sounds was because the anvils were simple ratios of each other, for example, one was half the size of the first, another was two-third the size etc.

RB: That's fascinating. Well, I think I've taken up too much of your precious time, Mr Pythagoras. Thanks a lot for your co-operation. It has been such an honour to meet such an important figure.

P: Not at all, the honour's mine.



List of sources used:

http://www.google.com/
http://sg.yahoo.com/
http://www.ask.com/
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/science/math/pythagoras.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagoras
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pythagoras/
http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Pythagoras.html
http://www.cut-the-knot.org/pythagoras/index.shtml

Why I chose Pythagoras

I chose to write about Pythagoras because I feel that he is an extremely important and one of the most significant characters in the area of mathematics, and that if it was not for him and his discoveries, the world would not be what it is today. His discovery of the Pythagoras Theorem, where the square of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle is equals to the sum of the squares of the other two sides, was one of the most important contributions to mathematics. Without it, it would be a colossal task for architects to plan the layout and dimensions of a building, and for contractors to build it. I also respect him a lot for having the mentality and the discipline to try and discover new theorems. I have also always wondered how long it took for Pythagoras to prove his theorem. Hence, I feel that Pythagoras, out of the names on the list, is the most fascinating and mysterious, thus I chose to research on him.