No, at least I haven’t seen any evidence. Pythagoras did not coin the word philosophy. In fact, the word “sophos,” or wise ones, was more likely one of the terms of the time. During the life of Pythagoras, the later distinction of Sophists as tricksters and the contrasting term philosopher were not widely used. During his time, great thinkers were more often described as wise men or sophists, sages, teachers, seers, poets, or lawgivers. Later, especially through Plato and Aristotle, philosopher and sophist became more sharply contrasted.
This FAQ came up because of several videos on YouTube that claim Pythagoras coined the word philosophy, a love of wisdom.
This caught my ear only because my studies indicate that philosophy was not the word during that time. The attribution of philosophy to Pythagoras is historically incorrect. The earliest known usage of the word “philosophy,” or philosophia, is attributed to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, around 440 BCE. Herodotus used it to describe the pursuits of Solon, a distant ancestor of Plato himself. In my book 30 Philosophers, I mention the ancestors of Plato like this in chapter 8.
Plato’s mother was Perictione who was related to the renowned Athenian reformer Solon. About two centuries earlier, Solon’s legal reforms were foundational to the democratic institutions of Athens, laying the groundwork for its golden age.
It was Plato and Aristotle who popularized the word. Their works solidified the term’s association with the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge. Over time, the term sophist acquired a negative connotation due to criticisms from philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. They criticized these traveling teachers for valuing winning debates over genuine understanding. They saw sophists as prioritizing rhetorical skill and personal gain over genuine wisdom and truth-seeking.
