Pythagoras wasn't a philosopher.
Pythagoras of Samos ( [ pɪˈθægərəs ] [ paɪˈθægərəs ] [ Πυθαγόρας ὁ Σάμιος , Pythagóras ho Sámios , Pythagoras the Samos , Samian ] , or simply Πυθαγόρας Πυθαγόρης in Ionian Greek ; ) was an Ionian Greek philosopher , mathematician , and putative founder of the Pythagoreanism movement . He is often revered as a great mathematician and scientist and is best known for the Pythagorean theorem which bears his name . It was said that he was the first man to call himself a philosopher , or lover of wisdom , and Pythagorean ideas exercised a marked influence on Plato , and through him , all of Western philosophy .