Explain Platos conception of the cosmos, emphasising the ways in whish his thought represents a a synthesis of pre-socratic thinkers and the ways in which his thought reflects his idealist epistemological stance.
Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "Plato cosmos" to get these possible sources:
http://www.stenudd.com/myth/greek/plato.htm
(Broken Link Removed)
http://www.digital-brilliance.com/kab/essays/separate.htm
http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/timaeus.htm
http://www.jonathanbaker.org/courses/ay9/week4/hw6/
You can search within the articles under the key word, "cosmos."
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
the question the i need help on is change, modifition or addition
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thats exactly how the question is. This is my answer so far.
Plato believed that the cosmos were made by a dimaruge (god). He believed that the world was made of 4 elements:earth,air,fire, and water. In addition, he added a fifth element which would represnt the universe as a whole. Plato who shared the smae technique as many other pre-socratic philophers, felt that the elements had to be reduced to mathmatics abstacts, for ture knowledge is only found in mathamatics. As a result, he reduced the elements to trianges which were incorpereal. Thus showing that mathamatics was the key to seeking out knowledge. In addtion, Plato says in the Timesus, that the gods used planning and reasoning, in order to create the cosmos. Once again, this shows his idealist stance, for he thinks the cosmos are based on an idea.
Plato's conception of the cosmos can be seen as a synthesis of ideas from pre-Socratic thinkers, as well as reflecting his idealist epistemological stance.
One aspect that reflects Plato's synthesis of pre-Socratic thinkers is his belief in the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. This idea can be traced back to the philosopher Empedocles, who also believed in these four elements as the fundamental building blocks of the world. However, Plato goes further and adds a fifth element, which he calls the "aether" or "quintessence," to represent the universe as a whole. This addition reflects Plato's tendency to build upon existing ideas and expand upon them.
Another way in which Plato's thought represents a synthesis of pre-Socratic thinkers is his use of mathematics as a means of understanding the cosmos. Like many pre-Socratic philosophers, Plato believed that the physical world could be reduced to mathematical abstractions. He saw mathematics as the key to true knowledge and understanding. In his dialogue "Timaeus," Plato describes the elements in geometric terms, specifically as triangles. By reducing the elements to mathematical concepts, Plato emphasized the importance of reason and logic in seeking out truth and knowledge.
Plato's idealist epistemological stance is also evident in his conception of the cosmos. According to Plato, the cosmos were created by a divine craftsman or "demiurge" who used planning and reasoning. This reflects Plato's belief in a higher realm of ideal forms or ideas, which he considered to be the ultimate reality. In Plato's worldview, the physical world is merely a flawed and imperfect reflection of these ideal forms. By emphasizing the role of the demiurge and the use of planning and reasoning in the creation of the cosmos, Plato reinforces his idealist stance that the world is based on ideas.
In summary, Plato's conception of the cosmos represents a synthesis of pre-Socratic thinkers through his incorporation of the four elements and his addition of the quintessence. His emphasis on mathematics as the key to knowledge also reflects the influence of pre-Socratic philosophers. Furthermore, his idealist epistemological stance is evident in his portrayal of the cosmos as a creation of a divine craftsman based on planning and reasoning.