Pythagoras and His Philosophy
Numbers, Harmony, and the Transcendence of the Soul
by: Ulysses Ybiernas | March 17, 2017
Pythagoras of Samos (c. 570–495 BCE) was an ancient Greek philosopher, mathematician, and mystic whose influence extended far beyond geometry. Though best known today for the Pythagorean Theorem, his philosophy united mathematics, music, cosmology, and ethics under a vision of the universe as an orderly, harmonious whole governed by number.
Number as the Essence of Reality
Pythagoras and his followers believed that “All is number.” They saw numbers not merely as tools for counting but as the fundamental principles of the cosmos. The relationships between numbers, especially as found in musical harmonies, revealed hidden order and proportion in nature.
“There is geometry in the humming of the strings, there is music in the spacing of the spheres.”
This mathematical harmony, they believed, extended to the movement of the planets and the structure of the human soul.
Harmony and the Music of the Spheres
One of the most influential Pythagorean ideas was the concept of the “music of the spheres.” Pythagoras observed that musical notes could be expressed through simple ratios, and he proposed that the celestial bodies moved according to mathematical patterns that produced a form of divine music, inaudible to the human ear but present in the universe’s very structure.
The Soul and Reincarnation
Pythagoras taught that the soul is immortal and undergoes a cycle of reincarnations (metempsychosis). The soul’s progress depended on the pursuit of purity, truth, and knowledge. Right living, including dietary rules and ethical conduct, was essential for spiritual advancement.
This belief in the soul’s journey through multiple lives had both philosophical and religious dimensions, influencing later Greek and Roman thinkers.
Ethics and the Good Life
Pythagorean ethics emphasized self-discipline, harmony, and inner order. By aligning one’s life with mathematical and cosmic principles, the individual could achieve a kind of spiritual balance. The Pythagorean way of life included silence, reflection, vegetarianism, and a communal lifestyle devoted to learning and moral development.
Influence and Legacy
Though Pythagoras himself left no writings, his ideas were preserved and developed by the Pythagorean school. His influence shaped the philosophies of Plato and the Neoplatonists, contributed to Western mystical traditions, and inspired Renaissance thinkers and scientists who saw mathematics as the language of nature.
His vision of a mathematically ordered universe prefigured modern physics and remains foundational in the philosophy of science and metaphysics.
Conclusion
Pythagoras was more than a mathematician; he was a visionary who sought to uncover the deep structure of reality through number, harmony, and discipline. His synthesis of scientific inquiry, spiritual belief, and ethical living continues to resonate in both philosophical and mystical traditions today.