Plato

Question 1

What do the PRISONERS symbolise?

Answer 1

Ordinary people

Question 2

What does the OUTSIDE WORLD symbolise?

Answer 2

True reality

Question 3

What does the CAVE symbolise?

Answer 3

The world of appearance

Question 4

What do the SHADOWS symbolise?

Answer 4

Illusions

Question 5

What does the ESCAPED PRISONER represent?

Answer 5

A philosopher searching for the truth

Question 6

What do the CHAINS represent?

Answer 6

Breaking free from the senses and using the mind to gain knowledge

Question 7

What does the SUN represent?

Answer 7

The form of good and it clarify’s Plato’s understanding of the form of good.

Question 8

When was Plato born and when did he die?

Answer 8

429 BC - 347 BC

Question 9

Why can’t we attain true knowledge from the physical world?

Answer 9

Because the physical world is always changing and nothing stays the same. Solid static objects are always changing in ways that aren’t visible to our senses e.g. erosion. Heraclitus states that you can never step in the same river twice because it is constantly flowing.

Question 10

What is empirical knowledge

Answer 10

Empirical knowledge is knowledge gained from the senses and is flawed according to Plato.

Question 11

What is a priori knowledge?

Answer 11

A priori knowledge is knowledge gained from logical reasoning

Question 12

What is the physical world full of?

Answer 12

The physical world is full of imperfect imitations e.g. we know something is a tree even though we haven’t seen that type of tree because we understand the concept of the tree. We recognise it as something that reflects the form of a tree.

Question 13

What’s the difference between a tree in the physical world and the world of the forms?

Answer 13

In the physical world the tree is in a constant state of change whereas in the world of the forms the tree stays the same never ageing.

Question 14

Why can justice never be perfect?

Answer 14

It can never be perfect because the world is always changing the so would the idea of justice.

Question 15

What is the analogy of the cave about?

Answer 15

1. The relation between the physical world and the higher world of the forms.
2. How physical and material concerns can blind people from what’s really important.
3. Hostility towards philosophical ideas that challenge people’s previous belief.
4. ignorance of humanity when people do not engage in philosophy.

Question 16

What is the shadowland?

Answer 16

The shadowland is the cave and it is something we experience when we are ignorant of the form of good

Question 17

Why is knowing goodness important according to Plato?

Answer 17

Knowing goodness is good because it allows us to understand everything.

Question 18

How many realms are there?

Answer 18

The realms of the forms and the realm of the physical world.

Question 19

According to Plato what does ignorance do?

Answer 19

Ignorance bounds you to the shadow lands