Knowledge, Belief, Certainty

Question 1

What is the story of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave?

Answer 1

Prisoners were tied to a wall in the cave, watching shadows and thinking they are all reality. 1 person escapes and discovers light & shadows. He goes back to tell the others but cannot see in the dark, so the others don’t believe him.

Question 2

what is Allegory?

Answer 2

Allegory is a story that is symbolic of a larger meaning, idea.

Question 3

Why does Socrates say he has an obligation to go back?

Answer 3

obligation to go back into the cave to spread the knowledge for a good society

Question 4

Plato’s metaphysics (branch of philosophy that asks questions of existence) & the allegory

Answer 4

world outside the cave vs inside
light vs shadow
truth/knowledge of the sun vs opinion/superstition
good/beauty vs absence of good
forms/ideas vs objects/things

Question 5

Sight and light metaphor:

Answer 5

the sun vs the cave, darkness, and shadows

Question 6

Plato’s metaphysics:

Answer 6

realm of ideas & things

Question 7

Only through a life in pursuit of knowledge, can one be?

Answer 7

Truly out of the cave

Question 8

Philosophy is?

Answer 8

the science that deals with forms and ideas the most out of all other sciences.