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The Ascent of Man

Episode 05 - Music of the Spheres. This episode looks at the evolution of mathematics, tracing the impact of Pythagorean thought on the Islamic empire, Moorish Spain and Renaissance Europe. Pythagoras discovered that harmony in music was governed by exact ratios. The same applied to all matter, thought the Greeks. Jacob Bronowski traces the relationship between ratios and design through the tiled walls of the Alhambra in Spain, and through the discovery of perspective.

Episode 05 - Music of the Spheres


Related Links
History of Mathematics - wikipedia
The area of study known as the history of mathematics is primarily an investigation into the origin of discoveries in mathematics and, to a lesser extent, an investigation into the mathematical methods and notation of the past.
The Story of Maths
This is a BBC documentary series written and presented by Professor Marcus du Sautoy, outlining aspects of the history of mathematics.
Pythagoras
Pythagoras of Samos (c. 570 - c. 495 BC) was an Ionian Greek philosopher and founder of the religious movement called Pythagoreanism.


Go to The Ascent of Man Home or watch other episodes:

Episode 01 - Lower Than the Angels
Episode 02 - The Harvest of the Seasons
Episode 03 - The Grain in the Stone
Episode 04 - The Hidden Structure
Episode 05 - Music of the Spheres
Episode 06 - The Starry Messenger
Episode 07 - The Majestic Clockwork
Episode 08 - The Drive for Power
Episode 09 - The Ladder of Creation
Episode 10 - World within World
Episode 11 - Knowledge or Certainty
Episode 12 - Generation upon Generation
Episode 13 - The Long Childhood