Plato and Pythagoreanism

This work argues that a specific type of Pythagorean philosophy, called "mathematical" Pythagoreanism, exercised a decisive influence on fundamental aspects of Plato's philosophy. Specifically, innovations of mathematical Pythagoreans such as Hippasus of Metapontum, Empedocles of Agrigentum, Epicharmus of Syracuse, Philolaus of Croton, and Archytas of Tarentum presented philosophers like Plato with novel ways to reconcile empirical knowledge with abstract mathematical theories.