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Order 

  1. Dodecahedron (SPACE)
  2. Hexahedron (EARTH)
  3. Icosahedron (WATER)
  4. Tetrahedron (FIRE)
  5. Octahedron (AIR)

The Platonic Solids

For this assignment, I had to create the five platonic solids using any type of materials. I decided to use plexi glass for the Dodecahedron, brich wood for the Hexahedron, wire for the Tetrahedron, plastic for the Icosahedron, and a special reflection paper for the Octahedron.

The five platonic Solids have been known for hundreds of years and where named after the Greek philosopher Plato who wrote about them in his work called Timaeus. Plato identified the solids with the elements that he believed made up all matter in the universe: Earth, Fire, Air, and The Space, Spirit or the Cosmos. Before, people believed that the universe was composed of atoms. The fire atom being the tetrahedron, the air atom being the octahedron, the earth atom being the hexahedron, and the “space” atom being the dodecahedron. All these elements are found in nature, culture, in the human body and in systems.

The octahedron, representing Air, is believed to give balance between multiple forces. The Greeks used two words for air: Aer and aether. Aer means the dim lower atmosphere and Aether means the bright upper atmosphere above the clouds. Plato stated “So it is with air: there is the brightest variety which we call aether, the muddiest which we call mist and darkness, and other kinds for which we have no name….” The following element, the tetrahedron, that represents fire, is believed to give power for change. The Hexahedron, representing Earth, is also known as the cube. This element is known as the solid foundation. Since it sits firmly, it is considered to be rooted to the ground, so it is known that meditating on this shape, grounds your energy, regains focus, removes tension and eases physical stress. It reconnects your energies to the Earth and Nature. The Dodecahedron that represents Space, Spirit or the Cosmos is known as the fifth Element. Plato believed that the dodecahedron belonged to the heavens. He said “God used this solid for the whole universe, embroidering figures on it.”

 

Links:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blogs/physics/2011/12/beautiful-losers-platos-geometry-of-elements/

https://www.dartmouth.edu/~matc/math5.geometry/unit6/unit6.html

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/math/geometry/solids/

http://www.mathpages.com/home/kmath096/kmath096.htm

http://www.economist.com/node/2122034

http://www.crystalwind.ca/eureka-amazing/meta-science/sacred-geometry/metaphysical-hexahedron

 http://www.mathematicsmagazine.com/Articles/SacredGeometryPlatonicSolids.php#.VhshVLTG61s