ANCIENT PHILOSOPHICAL INFLUENCES

Question 1

What is the purpose of Plato’s analogy of the cave?

Answer 1

Plato uses it to explain that most of us rely on our senses and therefore do not understand reality. The prisoner that escapes the cave is the philosopher and is free to use reason to understand the world

Question 2

What is rationalism?

Answer 2

Human reason is the source of all knowledge and truth

Question 3

The analogy of the cave is useful today:

Answer 3

• Shows that our senses deceive us, e.g pencil in a glass of water. What we experience or observe is only partial reality
• Senses can trap us like the chained prisoners, it is better to use reason and be open to new ideas
• Relying on reason is like becoming a philosopher - journey is difficuly but worth it

Question 4

The analogy of the cave is not useful today:

Answer 4

• Relying on our senses is important, we use them to survive and understand the world. For example, I realise I have cut my hand and need to do something to stop it from getting infected
• Not everyone can be philosophers, it is a very elitist view and not practical
• Too abstract when Plato relates it to forms, modern people do not want to think about another world, rather place more importance on current world

Question 5

What is Plato’s theory of forms?

Answer 5

Plato argues that there is two worlds: the World of Appearances and the World of the Forms.