🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Some sources claim Pythagoreans avoided eating beans for mystical reasons.
The followers of Pythagoras in southern Italy were not just geometry enthusiasts. They formed a semi-religious brotherhood with strict rules, communal living, and secret teachings. New initiates reportedly endured years of silence before being allowed to speak within the group. Mathematical discoveries were attributed to Pythagoras himself, regardless of the actual discoverer. The group believed numbers held mystical power governing the cosmos. Their symbol, the tetractys, was treated with sacred reverence. Members shared property and adhered to unusual dietary restrictions. The brotherhood blurred philosophy, science, and cult-like secrecy into a single identity.
💥 Impact (click to read)
This structure amplified the aura around mathematical knowledge. Silence created mystique, and mystique created authority. Outsiders viewed them with suspicion, especially when political influence grew in certain cities. Eventually, backlash led to violent attacks on Pythagorean meeting houses. Secrecy, once protective, became incriminating. Knowledge hidden too well can look like conspiracy.
Yet their approach helped preserve and systematize early mathematical thought. By treating ideas as sacred, they ensured rigorous internal discipline. The communal model fostered collaboration while maintaining exclusivity. It is a reminder that science and secrecy once walked hand in hand. Before universities, there were brotherhoods whispering about triangles. Mathematics was once an initiation ritual.
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