Pythagoras And His Theorem: The Big Idea

The Big Idea: Scientists Who Changed the World

by Paul Strathern

THE BIG IDEA is a hugely popular series of science books that, at only 96 pages each, are an accessible read for the amateurAt a moment of great discovery, one Big Idea can change the world...Pythagoras was arguably the first 'genius' of Western culture, establishing a blend of high intellect and high lunacy, both of which have become recurrent features of this scholarly heritage.Most memorably, he created the Pythagorean Theorem, and established the concept of proofs in mathematics. Less well known was the religion he founded which forbade his disciples from eating beans or stepping over fallen poles!Pythagoras & His Theorem tells the remarkable story of the life of this poorly understood genius and the transformation his work brought about in mathematics. Pythagoras' Big Idea is presented in an accessible and enthralling way, providing an explanation of the meaning of his work, its historical and scientific context, and significance for the world in which we live.The Big Idea series is a fascinating look at the greatest advances in our scientific history, and at the men and women who made these fundamental breakthroughs.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Popular Science, Philosophy

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Paul Strathern (born 1940) is a English writer and academic. He was born in London, and studied at Trinity College, Dublin, after which he served in the Merchant Navy over a period of two years. He then lived on a Greek island. In 1966 he travelled overland to India and the Himalayas. His novel A Season in Abyssinia won a Somerset Maugham Award in 1972.

Besides five novels, he has also written numerous books on science, philosophy, history, literature, medicine and economics.

Reviews

[Jen de R · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short book that makes a good intro to Pythagoras and for ages 13+. It’s biographical rather than mathsy, except for a section at the end called Pythagorean Points that includes some proofs.
The writing style is engaging and light. Sometimes so light that it was hard to tell what was tongue-in-cheek. On p. 55 the writer says,
‘Pythagoreanism may have had elements of a moral crusade, but its houses probably more resembled institutes of higher learning — an ethico-intellectual combination as unusual then as it is today.’
Seriously? He doesn’t think our current institutes of higher learning are filled with moral crusades?
There were a couple of similarly off the mark observations, but interesting and engaging overall.

[Laala Kashef Alghata · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed by this book. I thought that it would go into detail about Pythagoras’ Theorem, and I suppose it did, but it was more anecdotal rather than academic. I enjoyed finding out details about Pythagoras that I had never known before (and will enjoy using them on unwitting people quite a lot), but considering Strathern is an academic and lecturer, I really did expect to derive more than a few tidbits from this book.

[Marta D'Agord · Rating 5 out of 5]

Como professor universitário de Filosofia e Matemática, jornalista e romancista, Paul Strathern está sem dúvida credenciado para escrever livros de divulgação científica. Este livro, Pitágoras e seu teorema, originalmente publicado em 1997, promete introduzir o leitor ao teorema de Pitágoras em 90 minutos. Não cronometrei minha leitura, mas suas 82 páginas, em edição de bolso, combinam, agradavelmente, dados históricos e conceitos matemáticos com o sutil wit britânico. Pitágoras é apresentado como aquele que inventou ou usou pela primeira vez as palavras matemático, filósofo e metempsicose nos sentidos hoje aceitos e logo as aplicou a si mesmo. Também inventou a palavra cosmo, designando ‘mundo’ por causa de sua ‘perfeita harmonia e ordenação’. Para nós, falantes da língua portuguesa, restaram os cosméticos e a cosmologia, pois precisamos nos distanciar do frenético cotidiano para constatar que Pitágoras estava certo no que se refere à harmonia e ordenação dos movimentos dos planetas, até hoje cada um segue sua órbita sem se chocar com os vizinhos. Tales de Mileto teria aconselhado Pitágoras a ir ao Egito. Os egípcios já sabiam que um triângulo com lados de valor 3, 4 e 5 é retângulo e outras propriedades de trigonometria. O próprio Tales lá estivera medindo a altura das pirâmides através de suas sombras. Pitágoras também viajou para a Babilônia, onde já eram calculados os ciclos dos eclipses solares e lunares. Outro ensinamento dos babilônios foi o efeito, que hoje diríamos psíquico, e que eles chamavam de espirituais, que a prática dos cálculos produzia nos seus praticantes. Os babilônios sabiam da relação entre um triângulo retângulo e sua hipotenusa, mas não haviam descoberto um método simples de expressá-la. Ainda se apoiavam em técnicas empíricas que não expressavam em nenhuma fórmula algébrica genérica. Os babilônios e os egípcios ficavam no nível empírico, pois, devido ao desconhecimento da álgebra, não tinham como formulá-los em termos gerais. Só depois de se fazer isso seria possível provar ou negar proposições através de raciocínio dedutivo.

[Carolina Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um belo livro, pequeno e muito certeiro.
Alcança o seu intuito: dar uma perspectiva geral, sempre polvilhada com uma pitada de humor - cuidadosamente traduzida para português, da vida e obra de Pitágoras - figura incontornável do Mundo Antigo e dito "pai da Matemática". Vale a pena!

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started it in pursue of learning more on math but this book appears more to be about the life and cult of Pythagoras. It may not have been what I expected, it was nonetheless entertaining and this knowledge will undoubtedly raise eyebrows if the subject may ever come up.

[Gustavo Barroso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uma narrativa muito informativa e crítica do legado de Pitágoras, tanto a nível matemático como filosófico! Deixa o desejo de saber ainda mais!

[Jimena Sanchez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me encanta leer cosas que no comprendo jajaja

[Bryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a quick guide it does the job. I was reading it for the content on Pythagoras the man with no real interest in his theorem, which is just as well considering that Strathern fails to explain any of the mathematical concepts clearly, making too many assumptions about the reader's existing knowledge (which in my case, is about zilch)!

Fortunately the author's dry sense of humour more than makes up for this, especially when making side digs at Christianity and astrology when comparing them to the more ridiculous facets of Pythagoras' religious ideas. Oh, by the way, Pythagoras founded a religion and it was nuts - best parts of the book are in regard to this.

As a fun, easy read I'd recommend it, but if you're looking for something more substantial on either Pythagoras or mathematics then you might leave disappointed.

[Guilherme Passos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dessa série, um dos melhores. Sempre ouço falar tão pouco de Pitágoras e aqui descubro sobre sua família, pensamento e sua religião que chegou a competir com o Cristianismo, isso tudo com a capacidade fantástica de síntese do Paul Strathern que realmente te entrega o texto em 90 minutos.

[Luís Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

(lido em Lampang Tailândia)

[knoba · Rating 3 out of 5]

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Contents
1. Introduction
2. Life and Works
3. Afterword
4. Some Pythagorean Points
5. Chronology
Suggestions for further reading