The document examines the Pythagorean view that reality and nature are fundamentally mathematical, emphasizing that numbers are the essence of all things. It explores the historical context of Pythagoras, the significance of numbers like ten, and the belief in a cosmic order governed by mathematical principles. The conclusion critiques the notion that all existence can be reduced to numerical explanation, arguing that reality involves more than mere mathematics.

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Table of Content
 Introduction
 A brief history of Pythagoras
 Nature and Reality is made up of numbers
 Reality is Mathematical
 Conflict in the Universe
 A criticism of number as the basis of all things
 Conclusion
INTRODUCTION

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For Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans, reality and nature is mathematical. As such, they tried to
explain the emergence of things in nature, and the substance that made up reality, by using the
tools of numbers as the basis of all things. The aim of this term paper is to give a critical evaluation
of reality and nature being mathematical according to Pythagoras,
A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF PYTHAGORAS
very little is known about Pythagoras, apart from various tales and legends that developed
around him. It is belief that Pythagoras existed around 570 and 495 B.C.E. He was born on the
island of Samos, near the Ionian coast, he eventually migrated to Croton in southern Italy, where
he founded a religious community that was open to both men and women. Many of his followers
believed that Pythagoras was divine. For this reason, it is hard to separate his thoughts from those
of his followers, since they tended to attribute all their ideas to their founder.
The Pythagorean religious community combined the Greek scientific spirit with religious
mysticism. Hence, it functioned both as a school of mathematics and a religious order. The
movement was a hardy one, lasting about two hundred years. However, the sect died out in the
late fourth century B.C.E., but remnants of Pythagorean thought remained1
.
NATURE AND REALITY IS MADE UP OF NUMBERS
The Pythagoreans taught that there was an order and unity to the cosmos and that it was
mathematical in nature. Hence, numbers lie at the base of reality. In fact, they believed numbers
have a reality of their own. According to the Pythagoreans, mathematical points produce lines,
1
, William F. Lawhead, The voyage of Discovery: A Historical Introduction to Philosophy, rev.
ed. (USA: Cengage Learning,2007):13.

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conjunctions of lines create plane figures, and multiple plane figures form solids. Hence, from
mathematical points we can understand our entire universe/nature.2
Aristotle refers to the Pythagoreans number doctrine in three forms; things are numbers,
things imitate or represent numbers, the element of numbers are the elements of things. The
Pythagoreans says that things themselves are numbers. This is because they saw many of the
attributes of numbers belonging to sensible bodies, assumed existing things to be numbers not
separately existing numbers, but that things ( in nature) actually composed of numbers.3
The
Pythagoreans says that existing things owe their being to imitation (mimesis) of numbers. Since
the nature of everything else seemed to be entirely assimilated to numbers, and numbers to be
primarily throughout the world of nature, they assumed the elements of numbers to be the elements
of all that exists, and the whole universe to be a harmonia and a numbers.4
For the Pythagoreans,
whatever numbers are made of iswhat all things are made of.5
REALITY IS MATHEMATICAL
According to the Pythagoreans, all things are numbers, all things are numerable and can be
explain numerically. All things consist of points and unit; any distance, any line. No matter how
short. Is made up of an infinite number of points. Commenting on the Pythagoreans, Aristotle said,
the Pythagoreans believed that the principles of numbers are the principle of all things and also the
elements of numbers to be the elements of all things, and the whole heaven to be harmony and
2
Lawhead, Voyage of Discovery: A Historical Introduction to Philosophy,13.
3
W.K.C Guthrie, A History of Greek Philosophy, Vol.1, (London: Cambridge University
Press,1962):229.
4
Guthrie, A History of Greek Philosophy, Vol.1, 229.
5
Guthrie, A History of Greek Philosophy, Vol.1, 237.

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number.6
For the Pythagoreans the most perfect and all-embracing number they claim is Ten (10).
This is because, for them Ten (10) contains all other numbers. The Pythagoreans sees the number
Ten(10) as a symbol of perfection or completeness.7
For the Pythagoreans, ten contains a whole nature of number. This number they
represented graphically by the figure known as the tetractys, which became a sacred symbol for
them.8
There belief and taught that number has symbolic meaning, for instance the number one (1)
is generally treated as a symbol of unity. Therefore, in monotheistic religions, it often symbolizes
God or the universe. The Pythagoreans did not consider one to be a number at all because number
means plurality and one is singular. However, they considered it to be the source of all numbers
because adding many ones together can create any other (positive whole) number. The number
two symbolizes many of the basic dualities: me/you, male/female, yes/no, alive/dead.9
CONFLICT IN THE UNIVERSE
The Pythagoreans saw the universe as governed by a continual conflict between order and disorder.
Such as limit and unlimited, odd and even, one and many, right and left, male and female, rest and
motion, light and darkness, good and evil.10
CRITICISM OF NUMBER AS THE BASIS OF ALL THINGS
6
Joseph Omoregbe, A Simplified History of Western Philosophy, Vol. 1, (Lagos: Joja
Educational Research and Publishers Limited, 1991):9.
7
Omoregbe, A Simplified History of Western Philosophy, Vol. 1, 9.
8
Guthrie, A History of Greek Philosophy, Vol.1, 225.
9
https://www.britannica.com/topic/number-symbolism/Pythagoreanism#ref248157, Accessed
2/11/2022
10
Lawhead, Voyage of Discovery: A Historical Introduction to Philosophy,14.

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The so called Pythagoreans claim that number is the basis of all things and that all things can be
explain numerically. By these statements, they reduced the world to Mathematical calculation.
Reality is not just physical, but spiritual. Can Mathematics explain the other world? Reality is more
than Mathematics. Furthermore, Mathematics cannot explain the one who causes the existence of
all things in the universe (that is God), who himself is a mysterious being that is beyond
comprehension. The world experience changes often can Mathematics explain why there exit this
changes. God cannot change, Can Mathematics explain this. Therefore, number is not the basis of
all things.
CONCLUSION
The Pythagorean claims that number is the basis of all things, that number made up existence and
reality in general. They claim that things are composed of numbers and also that number is the
essence of reality. With this, the so call Pythagoreans reduced the universe or nature into
mathematical calculation.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lawhead F. William. The voyage of Discovery: A Historical Introduction to Philosophy. rev.
ed. USA: Cengage Learning, 2007.
Guthrie W.K.C. A History of Greek Philosophy. Vol.1. London: Cambridge University
Press.1962.
Omoregbe Joseph. A Simplified History of Western Philosophy. Vol.1.Lagos: Joja Educational
Research and Publishers Limited. 1991.
INTERNET

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https://www.britannica.com/topic/number-symbolism/Pythagoreanism#ref248157, Accessed
2/11/2022.
.