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The Golden Mean is a mathematical expression of proportion that ancient Greek philosophers observed throughout the natural world. Several names have been invented, ranging from the mystical to the mathematical: the "divine proportion", the "golden section", and the golden ratio. The Latin poet Horace coined the term aurea mediocritas. The simplest geometrical example of the Ratio is the golden rectangle, whose sides have unequal length but whose shape the Greeks found particularly pleasing.
Greek philosophers considered the Golden Mean to be the middle between two extremes, one of excess and the other of deficiency. Therefore, to the Greek mentality, it was an attribute of beauty.
According to legend, the Greek Philosopher Pythagoras discovered the concept of harmony when he began his studies of proportion while listening to the different sounds given off when the blacksmith’s hammers hit their anvils. The weights of the hammers and of the anvils all gave off different sounds. From here he moved to the study of stringed instruments and the different sounds they produced. He started with a single string and produced a monochord in the ratio of 1:1 called the Unison. By varying the string, he produced other chords: a ratio of 2:1 produced notes an octave apart.(Modern music theory calls a 5:4 ratio a "major third" and an 8:5 ratio a "major sixth".) In further studies of nature, he observed certain patterns and numbers reoccurring. Pythagoras believed that beauty was associated with the ratio of small integers.
Astonished by this discovery and awed by it, the Pythagoreans endeavored to keep this a secret; declaring that anybody that broached the secret would get the death penalty. With this discovery, the Pythagoreans saw the essence of the cosmos as numbers and numbers took on special meaning and significance.
The symbol of the Pythagorean brotherhood was the pentagram, in itself embodying several Golden Means.
The earliest representation of this idea in culture is probably in the mythological Cretan tale of Daedalus and Icarus. Daedalus, a famous artist of his time, built feathered wings for himself and his son so that they might escape the clutches of King Minos. Daedalus warns his son to "fly the middle course", between the sea spray and the sun's heat. Icarus did not listen to his father and flew up and up till the sun melted the wax of his wings and he fell to his death.
Another early elaboration is the pithy laconic DoricDoric a synonym of Dorian may refer to any of the following: The Dorians, one of the ancient Hellenic races, Doric Greek, the dialect of the former, the Doric order and its distinctive Doric column in ancient Greek architecture, the Dorian mode in music, saying carved on the front of the temple at DelphiThis article is about the city of Delphi. For other meanings, see the disambiguation page on "Delphi". Delphi is an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece. In ancient times it was the site of the Delphic Oracle, dedicated to the god Apollo. Delph: "Nothing in Excess".
SocratesThis article is about the ancient Greek philosopher. For the Byzantine church historian, see Socrates Scholasticus for the Brazilian football player, see Socrates (football player . Socrates ( June 4, 470 399 BC) ( Greek &#x;Σωκ< teaches that a man "must know how to choose the mean and avoid the extremes on either side, as far as possible". (2)In education, Socrates asks what effect an exclusive devotion to gymnastic or the exclusive devotion to music. It either "produced a temper of hardness and ferocity, (or) the other of softness and effeminacyEffeminacy ( Greek: ανανδρια; μαλακια; Latin: mollites) is applied to men who have the quality of unmanliness, softness or a delicacy about them. In this classical meaning there". (3) But having both will produce harmony, hence beauty and the good. Furthermore, he stresses the importance of mathematics in education as teaching beauty and truth in men.
Something that was disproportionate was evil and something to be despised. They hated extremes. Plato says, "If we disregard due proportion by giving anything what is too much for it; (i.e.) too much canvas to a boat, too much nutriment to a body, too much authority to a soul, the consequence is always shipwreck." (4)
PlatoFor the computing technology, see PLATO System. Plato ( Greek: Platon (c. 427 BC c. 347 BC) was an immensely influential classical Greek philosopher, student of Socrates, teacher of Aristotle, writer, and founder of the Academy in Athens. Plato, who is be in the Laws, uses this in his critique of governments. In his opus magnum of the perfect state, he says, "Conducted in this way, the election will strike a mean between monarchy and democracy,…". (5)In the Eudemian Ethics, AristotleAristotle ( Greek Αριστοτλης Aristotelēs) ( 384 BCE March 7, 322 BCE) was a Greek scientist and philosopher. Along with Plato, he is often considered to be one of the two most influential philo writes on the virtues. His constant phrase is, "… is the Middle state between …". His psychology of the soul and its virtues is based on the golden mean between the extremes. (6) In the Politics, Aristotle critizes the Spartan Polity by critiquing the disproportionate elements of the constitution; i.e. they trained the men and not the women and they trained for war but not peace. (7) This disharmony produced difficulties which he elaborates on.
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