Plato

Question 1

What did the cave represent in the analogy of the cave?

Answer 1

• The world of the senses in which most people are trapped.

- A world of decay and change.

Question 2

What do the prisoners represent in the analogy of the cave?

Answer 2

Ordinary people who know only what their 5 senses tell them.

Question 3

What do the chains represent in the analogy of the cave?

Answer 3

Our attachment to the world that we are unable to escape from.

Question 4

What do the shadows represent in the analogy of the cave?

Answer 4

• Material objects experienced by the senses.

- The phenomena, the instances or reflections of the forms.

Question 5

What does the world outside the cave represent in the analogy of the cave?

Answer 5

The world of the forms, the real world which is eternal and immutable.

Question 6

What does the journey out of the cave represent in the analogy of the cave?

Answer 6

The philosophers journey of enlightenment from the material world.

Question 7

What does the prisoner who is set free represent in the analogy of the cave?

Answer 7

The philosopher - the rationalist who relies on reason to understand the real world.

Question 8

What does the sun represent in the analogy of the cave?

Answer 8

• The highest form

- The form of the good on which everything ultimately depends

Question 9

What does the return to the prisoners represent in the analogy of the cave?

Answer 9

The philosopher tries to convince others of the real world, only known through reason.

Question 10

What does the difficulty adjusting to the darkness represent in the analogy of the cave?

Answer 10

Philosopher can no longer see the world in the same way.

Question 11

What does the persecution given by other prisoners represent in the analogy of the cave?

Answer 11

The philosopher isn’t accepted because of challenging ideas, therefore is punished.

Question 12

What are the reasons for philosophers being kings?

Answer 12

• Enlightened ones so have higher knowledge
• See the world as it really is
• Would be a way to spread the ideas of philosophy
• They use reason so there is much more sense in their ideas

Question 13

What are the reasons against philosophers being kings?

Answer 13

• They only ask questions and don’t come to a set conclusion
• Indecisive
• Not a lot of people would agree with them

Question 14

What is real to Plato?

Answer 14

Metaphysics- the world of appearances is not real, the real world is the unchanging world of the forms.

Question 15

How does Plato think we gain knowledge?

Answer 15

Epistemology- through reason the senses provide opinions.

Question 16

What are the characteristics of the world of appearances?

Answer 16

• Change, decay
• Motus
• Particulars/ phenomena’s
• Opinion
• Reflection

Question 17

What are the characteristics of the world of the forms?

Answer 17

• Eternal
• Immutable
• Concepts/ideals
• Invisible
• Reason/knowledge

Question 18

What is an example of the ideals and particulars?

Answer 18

• Gingerbread man cutter (perfect ideal)

- My gingerbread man (imperfect particular)

Question 19

Why is the analogy of the cave a strong argument?

Answer 19

It is timeless- we can even understand it in the 21st century.

Question 20

What is the weakness of using the of analogy of the cave?

Answer 20

In philosophy an analogy is seen as a weak method of reasoning.

Question 21

Is Plato a rationalist or empiricist?

Answer 21

Rationalist.