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gnipgnip | 9 years ago

Exercise in dealing with such "Exhibit A"'s:

> Pythagoras' school provided the earliest documented proof of the theorem, but the result was possibly known as early as 3000 BC.

Actually there is no known evidence Pythagoras or his school had any relation to the theorem. Much of it is word-of-mouth legend (and even then not particularly informative).

It's amusing when the same people accept legends from Europe as canonical, while treating similar historical data in India as literally non-existent.

> Don't be too enamored. These are fairly standard right wing talking points in India. From his comments on Gandhi and Pythagoras one can easily infer that he is a supporter of Narendra Modi and Hindu supremacy.

> As for Gandhi, he grew up in a strictly birth based hierarchical society and he pretty much accepted social and racial hierarchies until his thoughts evolved circa 1913. Most of Gandhi's racist quotes come from before 1910.

I guess the Native Americans too were "supremacists". How about the Bantus, don't forget them, man! ... These narratives get mind-numbingly boring; much as it does to hear of the BJP as some great establishment challengers. Eesh, don't you sheep read anything other than the Hindu's editorials ? In any case, this has typically been the talking point of the status quo-ists and pro-establishment ones for .. what 300 years ?

I'd not keep my hopes up with such creatures though since they have neither the afflictions of reading nor of reason. Social creatures will exploit the status-quo for maximum gain, and anyone who claims we (even in the occident) don't live in a hierarchical society are naive fools not worth arguing with.

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random314|9 years ago

> Actually there is no known evidence Pythagoras or his school had any relation to the theorem.

https://books.google.com/books?id=Cf9Rj_ADZU4C&pg=PA29&lpg=P...

gnipgnip|9 years ago

You basically prove my point.

Your "proof" is some admirer claiming this guy discovered it [1] ? You realize, even if this were true, he'd (atleast) be third in the game. Also where pray tell me where is this glorious "proof" you were bandying about earlier ?

"Legend", you might want to look up the word. Or may be words are not quite for the big-mouthed ? ggrks man!

[1] https://www.quora.com/How-did-Pythagoras-arrive-at-the-Pytha...