Did God Create Fibonacci Numbers - The Clues Newton Missed

12 Pages Posted: 25 Dec 2015

See all articles by Barbara Pfeffer Billauer

Barbara Pfeffer Billauer

Institute of World Politics; International Program in Bioethics, U. of Porto; Foundation for Law and Science Centers, Inc.

Date Written: December 23, 2015

Abstract

Number patterns have fascinated mathematicians since the science began. Blasé Pascal and Pythagoras are both known for their contribution to the field. One well-known sequence is called the Fibonacci series after the scientist who discovered it, Leonardo of Pisa, circa 1200 (based on his observation of the numbers of offspring bred by succeeding generations of rabbits). The pattern was named the Fibonacci series by Leonardo da Vinci, circa 1500. References to the pattern, however, have been found in Sanskrit phonetics as early as 250 BCE, and the current practice is to ascribe the origination of the pattern to that epoch.

As the numbers of the Fibonancci series increase, the proportional relationship of the pair asymptotically approximates Phi, the Golden Ratio, 1.618033988749895. This ratio, also referred to as the ‘Divine Proportion,’ was first described by Phidias (500 to 432 BCE ), a Greek sculptor and mathematician who applied it to the design of sculptures for the Parthenon. It is said that that the design of the Egyptian pyramids was based on Phi. A careful review of Tanach reveals that the design of both the Tabernacle built by Moses and the Temple of Solomon utilized Fibonacci pairs and the Divine Proportion in their design long before the mathematical community is aware.

Keywords: Fibonacci numbers, Fibonacci history, golden ratio, divine proportion, Newton, Exodus, Solomon's temple, ark, ark of the covenant, Kings I, Chronicles

JEL Classification: B3, B30, B31, C00

Suggested Citation

Billauer, Barbara P., Did God Create Fibonacci Numbers - The Clues Newton Missed (December 23, 2015). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2707842 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2707842

Barbara P. Billauer (Contact Author)

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International Program in Bioethics, U. of Porto ( email )

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