NUMBER
Odd / Even
Odd / Even · Pythagoras of Samos
Masculine and feminine power of number
REPORT ERRORWHAT IT IS
Is the lexarithmos odd or even? In the Pythagorean tradition, the odd number is "masculine," positive, infinite — while the even is "feminine," negative, finite.
HISTORY & SOURCES
The odd/even opposition is a fundamental element of the Pythagorean "Table of Opposites" (Aristotle, Metaphysics A.5). Odd = One, limited, masculine, good. Even = plurality, unlimited (as imperfection), feminine. In Gnostic thought, the odd was associated with the spiritual world.
HOW IT WORKS
- Lexarithmos of ΛΟΓΟΣ = 373
- 373 ÷ 2 = 186 (remainder 1)
- 373 is odd
- Interpretation: masculine power, spiritual character
CONCLUSION
The odd/even distinction is the first and simplest "qualitative" judgment of a lexarithmos — before any other analysis.
SOURCES
Pythagoras of Samos (6th cent. BC) · Aristotle, Metaphysics A.5 · Barry (1999)