Editing Pythagoras (section)

=== On modern science ===
In his preface to his book ''[[On the Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres]]'' (1543), [[Nicolaus Copernicus]] cites various Pythagoreans as the most important influences on the development of his [[Heliocentrism|heliocentric model]] of the universe,{{sfnp|Celenza|2010|page=798}}{{sfnp|Kahn|2001|page=160}} deliberately omitting mention of [[Aristarchus of Samos]], a non-Pythagorean astronomer who had developed a fully heliocentric model in the fourth century BC, in effort to portray his model as fundamentally Pythagorean.{{sfnp|Kahn|2001|page=160}} [[Johannes Kepler]] considered himself to be a Pythagorean.{{sfnp|Celenza|2010|page=798}}{{sfnp|Kahn|2001|pages=161–171}} He believed in the Pythagorean doctrine of ''musica universalis'' and it was his search for the mathematical equations behind this doctrine that led to his discovery of the [[Kepler's laws of planetary motion|laws of planetary motion]]. Kepler titled his book on the subject ''[[Harmonices Mundi]]'' (''Harmonics of the World''), after the Pythagorean teaching that had inspired him.{{sfnp|Celenza|2010|page=798}}{{sfnp|Kahn|2001|page=162}} He also called Pythagoras the "grandfather" of all Copernicans.{{sfnp|James|1993|p=142}}

[[Albert Einstein]] believed that a scientist may also be "a Platonist or a Pythagorean insofar as he considers the viewpoint of logical simplicity as an indispensable and effective tool of his research."{{sfnp|Kahn|2001|page=172}} The English philosopher [[Alfred North Whitehead]] argued that "In a sense, Plato and Pythagoras stand nearer to modern physical science than does Aristotle. The two former were mathematicians, whereas Aristotle was the son of a doctor".{{sfnp|Whitehead|1953|pages=36–37}} By this measure, Whitehead declared that Einstein and other modern scientists like him are "following the pure Pythagorean tradition."{{sfnp|Kahn|2001|page=172}}{{sfnp|Whitehead|1953|page=36}}