Irrational Numbers...

and spiders are your new gods, worship them...

Q: Why did the Pythagorean cross the road?

No. It was a trick quetion. Pythagoreans are forbidden from walking on roads! <a little poetic license there>

ALL numbers are imaginary! So what?

No. It was a trick quetion. Pythagoreans are forbidden from walking on roads! <a little poetic license there>

New? Where have you been?

interesting. Do you know the reasoning for this? Is it a theological constraint?

No one really knows exactly what doctrine Pythagoras taught to his disciples, but it is thought to be a reformist brand of Orphism. The Pythagoreans were famous for believing in the 'transmigration of souls' -- metempsychosis, or reincarnation, and for the belief that 'the whole heaven is a harmony and a number', that number was 'the substance of all things,' as Aristotle wrote of them.

The Pythagoreans lived communally, regarding property as shared and treating men and women equally. Scientific discoveries and mathematical theories were also regarded as group property, and even after his death were mystically credited to Pythagoras himself.

They were required to follow a code of conduct in their daily life, some elements of which were:

* Not to eat beans. (Still good advice for those living communally!)
* Not to pick up what has fallen.
* Not to touch a white cock.
* Not to break bread.
* Not to step over a crossbar. (Hmm. cf. knights templar?)
* Not to stir the fire with iron.
* Not to eat from a whole loaf. (Don't eat bread then - or have someone break it for you..)
* Not to pluck a garland.
* Not to sit on a quart measure.
* Always put on the right shoe first.
* Not to eat the heart.
* Not to walk on the highway.
* Not to look back when crossing a border.
* Not to let swallows share one's roof.
* When the pot is taken off the fire, not to leave the mark of it in the ashes, but to stir them together.
* Do not look in a mirror beside a light.
* When you rise from the bedclothes, roll them together and smooth out the impress of the body.

They were required to follow a code of conduct in their daily life, some elements of which were:

* Not to eat beans. (Still good advice for those living communally!)
* Not to pick up what has fallen.
* Not to touch a white cock.
* Not to break bread.
* Not to step over a crossbar. (Hmm. cf. knights templar?)
* Not to stir the fire with iron.
* Not to eat from a whole loaf. (Don't eat bread then - or have someone break it for you..)
* Not to pluck a garland.
* Not to sit on a quart measure.
* Always put on the right shoe first.
* Not to eat the heart.
* Not to walk on the highway.
* Not to look back when crossing a border.
* Not to let swallows share one's roof.
* When the pot is taken off the fire, not to leave the mark of it in the ashes, but to stir them together.
* Do not look in a mirror beside a light.
* When you rise from the bedclothes, roll them together and smooth out the impress of the body.