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Pythagorean Theorem proof in a 2100 year old Chinese book

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Re: Pythagorean Theorem proof in a 2100 year old Chinese book

#111

Post by why-el »

jernfrost wrote: post #50

From what I understand, the Chinese had often recorded many facts about nature and mathematics very early and accurately. However they never really created much laws. Laws of nature was a western invention. E.g. they observed accurately planetary movements, but never attempted to formulate the laws governing those movements. That sort of thinking was crucial for scientific thinking.

You might be interested in (perhaps already know) of this book, which develops your idea in some detail: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beginning_of_Infinity

Re: Pythagorean Theorem proof in a 2100 year old Chinese book

#112

Post by ajarmst »

happy-go-lucky wrote: post #81

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_theorem > In India, the Baudhayana Sulba Sutra, the dates of which are given variously as between the 8th and 5th century BC, contains a list of Pythagorean triples discovered algebraically, a statement of the Pythagorean theorem, and a geometrical proof of the Pythagorean theorem for an isosceles right triangle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baudhayana_sutras > A rope stretc…

It's generally understood that the theorem, and in particular the 1/1/2 and 3/4/5 integral triangles were known prehistorically and independently 'discovered' in several places. It's not possible to know what the earliest recorded statement was, because we only have tiny fragments (more commonly, fragments of copies of fragments of later documentation of oral traditions) of what actually was recorded that long ago. Finding such a statement only says that its the earliest we're aware of, and even then its always contingent on a variety of factors.

These sorts of discussions always seem to devolve into "10,000 generations ago, someone who lived near where some of my ancestors later lived might have known more mathematics than people who lived near where your ancestors lived." [The 'That means I'm better than you.' is usually not explicit] Which is boring.

Re: Pythagorean Theorem proof in a 2100 year old Chinese book

#114

Post by vixen99 »

marmaduke wrote: post #88
sn41 wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe true. The emphasis was on calculations. For example, there was a heliocentric model in India [1], which was too complicated to come from a "simple" mechanical model, but was quite accurate. But I think we should not be too eager to jump on to "science is only from laws" bandwagon. Courses on the philosophy of science take this dogma to absurd extremes, ignoring how current science is often done. There is enough…

Feyerabend's Against Method goes further: examining crucial discoveries in science reveals no pattern which could be called a scientific method. Everyone sort of freestyles it or does what works. I think modern western science discounts other sources of knowledge, because it is not just a platonic ideal but a sort of politics of the scientists, which they need to justify the choices they make.

This is waffle. 'Western Science' is an abstraction. The 'official position of Western Science' is not an accredited publication as far as I know. More to the point, if you have criticisms of individual scientists (the ones who contribute to science [ i.e., people all nationalities and places on Earth) ] who 'discount other sources of knowledge' please be specific. They may or may not have a point. We can't know unless you specify.

Re: Pythagorean Theorem proof in a 2100 year old Chinese book

#115

Post by dang »

gnipgnip wrote: post #54

Much of modern history is a throwback of the colonial times when the "barbarians" from the West were trying to search for some great past of their people. Thus much of what is attributed to the Greeks and Romans today should belong to the civilizations of Asia (India, China, and Iran). Pythagorean theorem has nothing to do with Pythagoras or the Greeks even [3] ! There is nice interview of Manjul Bhargava (surroundin…

We've banned this account for repeatedly violating the HN guidelines. Nationalist politics are off-topic and unwelcome here, and the incivility you've been displaying is not acceptable.

Posting like this will eventually get your main account banned as well.

Re: Pythagorean Theorem proof in a 2100 year old Chinese book

#116

Post by [deleted] »

yeukhon wrote: post #6
lacampbell wrote: post #4

Any ideas of it's authentic? China is hyper nationalist so I'm initially skeptical. Might be as fictitous as their GDP figures or sovereignty over Taiwan.

> sovereignty over Taiwan This is the claim that China and Taiwan should reunite since the PRC drove the Nationalist Party out of mainland China. It isn't fictitious, it's merely a political wish to merge the two from the PRC side. Similarly, some Nationalists in Taiwan are happy to take back mainland China, as much as the country is divided on whether Taiwan should remain as it is, or should declare its full indepen…

[deleted]

Re: Pythagorean Theorem proof in a 2100 year old Chinese book

#117

Post by dang »

lacampbell wrote: post #4

Any ideas of it's authentic? China is hyper nationalist so I'm initially skeptical. Might be as fictitous as their GDP figures or sovereignty over Taiwan.

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13952573 and marked it off-topic.

The first question was fine of course but the political flamebait in the rest predictably took over.

Re: Pythagorean Theorem proof in a 2100 year old Chinese book

#119

Post by good_vibes »

E6300 wrote: post #104
good_vibes wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Your pseudo-medicine"? lol. I never claimed anything as mine and last I checked Indians are very involved in the medical field. I'm not interested in discussing this with you, I have work to do. Things don't have to be this or that, they can be both. You obviously are looking for an argument because you missed my original points in the original comment. You obviously don't know your Bay Area history. ;)

"Your" as in "the one you brought up". What does history or the Bay Area have to do with this discussion?

What did I bring up again? I'm confused what this about at this point. I feel like you are trying to create cognitive dissonance where there is none.

Read these: https://www.amazon.com/What-Dormouse-Said-Counterculture-Per...

https://www.amazon.com/Counterculture-Cyberculture-Stewart-N...

Re: Pythagorean Theorem proof in a 2100 year old Chinese book

#120

Post by iam-you »

jernfrost wrote: post #50

From what I understand, the Chinese had often recorded many facts about nature and mathematics very early and accurately. However they never really created much laws. Laws of nature was a western invention. E.g. they observed accurately planetary movements, but never attempted to formulate the laws governing those movements. That sort of thinking was crucial for scientific thinking.

I'm sure you probably didn't mean to be racist, but this is a pretty racist comment. Not only that, but you are tacitly implying that our civilization is superior to all these past civilizations. It's been well documented what these ancients were able to do, specifically the Egyptians. Are you saying they were just simply looking at effects without trying to understand causes (just little playful kids)? are you saying their thinking wasn't scientific? This of the people who brought us writing and mathematics
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