...Plato - Allegory of the cave In Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”, prisoners have been chained up in a dark cave for most of their lives and can only look at a wall without any access to the outside world. Behind them is a roadway used by travelers and behind that is a fire that casts shadows on the wall the prisoners look at. They know nothing else in life except these shadows. In the allegory, one of the prisoners is released and he is blinded by the light outside the cave. As his vision slowly clears however, he explores the new world and he is able to see the truth, the very thing he knew wasn’t true. When the prisoner ran back to the cave to tell the other prisoners, they didn’t believe him. This allegory is a symbol for the contrasts between ideas and what we perceive as reality. For example, Plato would argue that ideas transcend the physical world. Think of a cup. That cup could fall on the ground, it could crack, break... eventually it won't exist anymore. However, the idea of the cup will go on forever. The idea, once thought of, cannot be undone. It cannot be broken or tainted. Plato also argues that we are the cave slaves. We live in a world of shadows, where we don't see the reality of ideas. We see the cup that can be broken, the shadows of ourselves. However, it is possible to climb out of the cave, to be released from our shackles, but the process is painful. When the cave slaves (ourselves) climb from the cave (perceive and understand ideas), we see the world...
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...Plato’s Allegory of the Cave Plato’s allegory of the cave is a famous piece derived from his book the Republic. The cave is famed to be a conversation between Socrates, Plato’s respected mentor, and another one of Socrates’ followers, Glaucon. Additionally, Plato’s allegory is meant to be a depiction of the effects of education on society and Plato expresses his abhorrence with how society has ultimately ostracized philosophers out of ignorance of the philosopher’s teachings. The philosopher’s teachings are attempts to enlighten the prisoners who are bound by chains so they can vicariously experience the true good in the world. Socrates, in this conversation with Glaucon, paints a picture describing a world where people are born as chained prisoners that are forced to stare at a cave wall their entire life. Moreover, there is a fire shining behind them that reflects onto the cold stone wall. Behind the fire, guards pass holding artifacts that cast the statue shadows onto the wall and the prisoners play memorization games identifying these forms as “trees, men, and women”. However, one prisoner is freed and begins to look around the cave. For the first time, the prisoner sees the blazing fire and the actual artifacts that used to be only dim, memorized shadows. To the prisoner’s dismay, he is dragged out of the cave and into the scorching sun. He squirms and shrieks from the pain of the overwhelming light. Eventually, the torture fades as his eyes strengthen and he discovers...
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...Plato’s Analogy of the Cave(10 marks) Plato’s analogy of the cave is a complex story to do with his theory of the forms. It is a symbolic story which gives a vague illustration of the forms and how we as humans are all ignorant to the truth. It’s a story in which prisoners, representing the human race, are all chained to chairs. The chains represent our ignorance to the true forms and the chairs are our tendency to stay with what we find familiar and comfortable. The people are chained facing a wall so that they can only look ahead of them. There is a light in the cave which comes from a fire. The fire is what is used to create fake “form” shadows which the people believe are real. The shadows represent the politics, human culture and superstitious beliefs. One of the prisoners is freed, this one prisoner is seen as a potential philosopher however they have to be dragged away from the shadows as they still believe the shadows are reality and they don’t want to leave what’s comfortable to them and venture into the unknown. The person who frees the prisoner is a representation of a true philosopher, possibly Plato himself. This person recognises the illusion of the cave and wants to educate those who are still trapped in the illusion. This idea could come from Plato’s belief that philosophers should govern society as they are completely motivated by their wisdom and selflessness. After the prisoner is freed he is dragged up through the cave past the people who are making...
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...Essay #1; Plato's Republic 23 September 2013 What does Plato's cave represent? The Allegory of the Cave, the cave represents people who perceive knowledge as something that is seen and heard and that is really what it is not about. These people, in a sense, would be the chained people in the cave. This shows us that people in this cave are in a world of misunderstanding. There are people that live their lives in the dark, which means, they live in just that cave and not know that there is something beyond the cave. They lack the truth because they live in such comfortable lives and that the shadows is all they are known to see. The artifacts that they see that casts these shadows are out of their sight and do not see that these are the real 'truths.' They think that its everything in their lives and try to make sense of these shadows in the best form they can. Then, all of the people play the game of knowing what they know about these shadows. The ones that guess them right and know these shadows very well are the ones that know everything there is to know about these shadows they know about. It is an illusion of what they think is real. They even start to respect the one that knows the most about these shadows that are the 'truths' to them. These artifacts represent the form of Good that they are able to see, and think the shadows are that sort of the form of Good that they see and believe in. Then, Plato supposes that these shadows are not supposed to be named. The form...
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...The analogy of the cave is written in Plato’s famous book known as Republic. It is one of the three similes he uses to illustrate his theory of Forms. Plato uses analogy to help describe philosophical difference between physical world and the difference of the world of forms. In short the analogy explains to others about the physical world as nothing but full of illusion. He describes the true reality is to be found in the eternal unchanging world of forms. The analogy begins in the cave. The cave represents the visible world or the world of sense experience, where the shadows seem more real than truth itself. It indirectly represents the human body, which imprisons the soul preventing it from seeking the true knowledge. People are chained up in the cave such a way that all prisoners are facing the wall. They are chained up in a way that they can only look ahead of them at the wall of the cave. The only light in the cave comes from the fire. There is a wall behind the prisoners and fire is located behind the wall. Behind the wall other people are walking up and down carrying statues on their heads. The prisoners observe the shadows that flicker before them. The prisoners believe the shadows are reality as that is all they are able to see. If they hear the people behind the wall they associate the sounds made by individuals with the shadows. They think of the shadows as the true reality. Plato represents our condition as human beings; he describes that our senses chain us and...
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...Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were important philosophers in classical Greece (Matthews, Noble, Platt, 2014). Plato was one of Socrates followers. Plato was recognized for his most famous doctrine known as the Doctrine of Forms, even though there was never a clear explanation for its existence; but his student Aristotle did offer various arguments for it. Plato knew that his doctrine never made sense; however, he created an analogy and called it the Allegory of the Cave which supports what he stood for in regard to common sense as well as embodying his doctrine. Socrates was an intelligent man, who loved philosophy and challenging the people who he lived around. His main goal was to achieve understanding. The citizens were not actually fond of Socrates because he made them feel as if they did not know anything. He was happy to prove others wrong, in which made him...
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...“everyone knows” as true and real rather than seek the truth for ourselves. Plato’s cave allegory directly describes the American people as well as people around the world who have adopted the Western culture and way of life. Plato believes that those who have seen things as they really are using the full powers of the mind, will understandably be reluctant to return to the mundane world of human exchanges. I share Plato’s beliefs, and as I grow older and wiser I understand more and more why it is important to open our eyes and minds and expand our perception of reality because I have learned that accepting things at face value often leads to dismay. Growing up in Detroit my whole life and being raised by a father who was born in the 50’s and religiously conservative, my household wasn’t very open minded so therefore I wasn’t subject to a great deal of earthly values or people . I was surrounded by stable individuals who had accomplished life goals and aspirations and was discouraged from interacting with family members who didn’t practice the same values and beliefs my parents did. This resulted in me being very sheltered and very ignorant of the world around me at a young age, I instilled my parent’s beliefs and values because I didn’t know any better and I wasn’t allowed to be around any worse. Even after we moved from Detroit I still was imprisoned in this ordinary life Plato called, “The Cave” and I assumed that only what I could see, hear,...
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...Plato’s Cave Christopher Nieto PHL/443 February 12, 2013 Mr. Richard Albin In philosophy the distinction between truth and knowledge is effectively highlighted in Plato’s allegory of the cave, which illustrates the great limitations faced by philosophers in discovering the ultimate nature of reality. Nevertheless regarding the theory of knowledge, the parable itself is highly symbolic and asserts that any knowledge gained through perceptual awareness is an illusion and are mere reflections of the highest truths. This allegory can be interpreted in many ways; however in the context of platonic epistemology it flawlessly conveys Plato’s “Theory of forms” of an immaterial realm of abstractions considered to be the highest reality in which upon all natural phenomenon is based on. The difference between truth and knowledge itself moreover is a much simpler matter. Since the only semantic distinction between the two is that, truth is anything that is in accord with fact or reality whereas knowledge are any facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or education. However from an epistemological perspective disagreement still remain about whether our senses can be trusted to discover the ultimate nature of reality and subsequently establish if the perceived world as we know it is not just an illusion or a dream. Additionally within the framework of The Republic; the allegory of the cave presented by Plato demonstrates the essence...
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...Ashleigh Wheat April 24, 2011 Comm. And the Media Matthews Plato: The Allegory of the Cave Imagine a life of only looking at the shadows on a wall. Not knowing what the outside world was like or even what a person looked like. Just monstrous shadows projected on the wall in front of you. The prisoners in Plato’s story were born in a cave and chained in a way they only knew the wall in front of them. In the allegory of the cave the prisoners were not allowed to look at anything but the wall. They were chained with a “bridge” behind them. I refer to it as a bridge because people walked across it carrying their water or camels. I used the youtube video: “The Cave: An adaption of Plato’s Allegory in Clay” as a reference. It helped me understand the story more in depth but yet there was a lot more to tell through the text “Plato, The Allegory of the Cave.” I believe that my favorite sentence from the article I chose would have to be “…and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette players have in front of them, over which they show the puppets.” (Kreis, 2000) Once I read this I could see a picture in my head. I felt that I was trapped in the chains and was restricted to just the wall. Plato’s story shows me to respect life. Enjoy what God gave you instead of taking advantage of it. The prisoners were not allowed to see the outside world. They didn’t know what the sky looked like or what a voice sounded...
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...Fantasy vs. Reality In the allegory of the cave, Plato describes the human perception of fantasy and reality. The story is about these prisoners who have lived in the darkness of an underground den since childhood. They are chained so that they cannot see themselves or the real world above them; all they can see are shadows on the wall in front of them. Somehow, a prisoner escapes the underground den and heads towards the light. At first, the light blinds him and he is unable to see anything due to the fact that he has lived his whole life in darkness and knows nothing but that. Once he is able to see, he is shocked by the world he has now been exposed to but will soon become accustomed to it. This story compares the reality the prisoner faced once he stepped into a new world, to the knowledge we gain once we are introduced to a new perspective of reality. Plato explains that once the prisoners are liberated they are “compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distress him…” (2). This implies that when humans face reality, they will experience pain and suffering. Do all humans experience agony when facing reality? Why is it that humans have to go through misery in order to come to a new realization? Plato also explains that if a human was dragged up from the underground den into the light he “would not be able to see anything at all of what are now called realities” (2). This...
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...everything that we’ve been taught is a lie. To make matters worse, there would be no way to go back and you could only dream of the blissful life that you once lead in a lie of a world. So is ignorance truly bliss? This is a question that both Plato and the Wachowski sibling try to answer in their respective works “Allegory Of The Cave” for Plato and The Matrix trilogy from the Wachowski siblings. In both works, they show us that the road to knowledge from ignorance is fraught with struggle yet does not end once you achieve...
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...The Allegory of the Cave is Plato's explanation of the education of the soul toward enlightenment. He sees it as what happens when someone is educated to the level of philosopher. He contends that they must "go back into the cave" or return to the everyday world of politics, greed and power struggles. The Allegory also attacks people who rely upon or are slaves to their senses. The chains that bind the prisoners are the senses. The fun of the allegory is to try to put all the details of the cave into your interpretation. In other words, what are the models the guards carry? the fire? the struggle out of the cave? the sunlight? the shadows on the cave wall? Socrates, in Book VII of The Republic, just after the allegory told us that the cave was our world and the fire was our sun. He said the path of the prisoner was our soul's ascent to knowledge or enlightenment. He equated our world of sight with the intellect's world of opinion. Both were at the bottom of the ladder of knowledge. Our world of sight allows us to "see" things that are not real, such as parallel lines and perfect circles. He calls this higher understanding the world "abstract Reality" or the Intelligeble world. He equates this abstract reality with the knowledge that comes from reasoning and finally understanding. On the physical side, our world of sight, the stages of growth are first recognition of images (the shadows on the cave wall) then the recognition of objects (the models the guards carry) To understand...
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...those beautiful creations of nature, "The caves.” Long ago, our ancestors were using caves as shelter from wild animals and the forces of nature. Throughout history, the underground architecture, and their make-up, have been explored and documented by cavers, because they can reveal details of past climatic conditions in the structures formed in a cave by the deposition of minerals from water called speleothem, and the origins of life. The caving connects us to the stunning scenery of underground world an it's an amazing experience as well. Can be a strenuous sport, a casual hobby, a means to conducting scientific research, or all of these and more. Caves are found around the world and in a variety of settings, from cold alpine environments to warm tropical rain forests, and are formed through a variety of natural processes, also they are a unique challenge to scientific. The studies of caves and karst systems are important for two major reasons. First, the overwhelming majority of freshwater resources is groundwater. About 25% of the groundwater is located in cave and karst regions. The protection and management of these vital water resources are critical to public health and to sustainable economic development. As identified by the National Geographic Society, water resources are a critical concern as society enters the twenty-first century. Second, caves are storehouses of information on natural...
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...I am sorry I have not written home in a while, but we have been so busy here recently. We have found a cave here in South Africa that is so hard to access that petit women are the only people able to reach it. We are calling the site Rising Star Cave. Lee Berger is the head paleoanthropologist working on the site and he has decided to do something completely new with our research. He came up with the idea to publicize the whole process instead of waiting to publish our finds, so now the public is able to follow everything we do as it happens over social media. You can follow our excavations on Twitter and Facebook if you want to see what I have been up to. We are even being filmed by a film crew for a documentary! You would not believe what we have to do to get down into the chamber where all the fossils are. We obviously could not widen the passages in the cave for fear of damaging the bones and ruining the site so only certain people are able to go down into the chamber. There are certain times where we have to crawl on our bellies with our arms outstretched just to get through, at one point there is an opening that is only eight inches...
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...Jenolan Caves is located in rural New South Wales in the Blue Mountains, which is a three hour drive from Sydney ((Bluemts.com.au, 2015). This tourist attraction features a 10 caves and offers tours during the day and night. It has also won numerous tourism awards and is a world heritage listed site(VisitNSW.com, 2015). About the caves According to the CSIRO, the caves are approximately 340 million years old. The cave tours are open every day and are suited to all ages and fitness levels, with prior notice they are able to offer wheelchair access. The tours take 1-2 hours and have a few sessions per day. They feature spectacular lighting, underground rivers and fascinating rock formations which captivates visitors. Visitors can choose between...
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