I read the book entitled “Pythagoras: His Lives and the Legacy of a Rational Universe” by Kitty Ferguson. Well – I should say about 75% of it. I have been painstakingly prodding myself to finish it. I consider myself a science-loving person and I love math so I figured I should learn more about Pythagoras. I enjoyed learning many things in the book but the fact of the matter is that the most of it is just drab, to be blunt. Let me summarize everything I learned that I enjoyed learning. I enjoyed learning that we aren’t really sure that Pythagoras developed the Pythagorean theorem and it may have been re-discovered independently at different points in history. I enjoyed learning that we don’t know a lot about Pythagoras and their are different schools of thought as to who he was, which is alluded to within the title – “His Lives”. Another meaning behind “His Lives” could be that Pythagoras supposedly taught that he was continually being reincarnated. I enjoyed learning about the Pythagorean “cult”. I enjoyed learning about who they were and what they believed in and how they were perceived as by their peers. For example, they were made fun of by others as being essentially derelicts and as pious, yet pompous people. I learned that Pythagoras had the most bizarre diet I have ever heard of – even more extreme than Jainism, in my personal opinion. I have, who I consider, a friend who belongs to the Jainism religion and I very much have enjoyed learning about his religion. I respect all walks of life. I think it is wonderful when someone believes something and acts accordingly.
I liked learning about how beans killed Pythagoras. Well, it was an indirect killing because Pythagoras respects bean plants and didn’t want to trample the bean field while trying to escape some people who were trying to capture Pythagoras and kill him… so beans killed Pythagoras. I enjoyed learning about how people were chosen to be the philosophers’ pupils – a lot of their decision making was based on the candidates’ behavior, attitude, and physical capabilities. I enjoyed learning about how the Pythagoreans’ group was split in two which were known as the ones who did the thinking and the ones who just memorized the concepts in more of a rote manner.
I also enjoyed learning about how music played such an integral role in their scientific minds. I enjoyed learning a bit about their culture. I also enjoyed learning about how Pythagoras’ teachings affected the incredibly famous philosophers who came thereafter, such as Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates.
That is about all I enjoyed… I decided today to not finish it. I don’t usually stop reading books but I just can’t go on. I am sure there are many people out there who would feel differently and would surely enjoy the book, however. All of the book was simply just not for me. Thank you for teaching me a lot, Kitty. I am sure you would be a fascinating person to meet! She has met with some brilliant minds (i.e., Stephen Hawking) and she has written a great deal of wonderful literature.
Best wishes,
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