[n4r9]

The evidence for figures such as Plato, Aristotle, Socrates and Heraclitus is far more compelling than it is for Pythagoras. There is a singular lack of evidence and sources for his existence.

No one is denying that a cult named the Pythagoreans existed, that many of their writings are preserved, and that they influenced Copernicus etc ...

Heraclitus was notorious for his cutting critiques of predecessors. There are a total of three very brief mentions of Pythagoras in fragments of his work (fragments 40, 81 and 129). This is not really enough to go on - it's not clear whether he's criticising someone he's met in person, some learnings that he's heard through a third party, or a cult figure that was invented and idolised by the Pythagoreans.

[dr_dshiv]

Is there any evidence supporting the hypothesis that Pythagoras was invented?

[dr_dshiv]

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42026572

[n4r9]

I'm just saying it's not very clear that the figure of Pythagoras existed. It's like Robin Hood or King Arthur - maybe there was a historical person on which the mythology is based, but at this point we just don't know with any certainty.