Plato: analogy of the cave Flashcards
who was Plato?
a classical Greek Philosopher who helped to lay the foundations for western philosophy
who was Plato a student of?
Socrates
what do the prisoners represent?
humanity who lack the true knowledge of the world around them.
what do the shadows represent?
The shadows represent the illusion created by our senses.
what does the cave represent?
The cave represents the world, it contains illusions and prisoners.
Just as the cave traps the prisoners…..
the human body traps the soul,
According to Plato our senses cannot access….
truth
what does the journey represent?
the discovery of true knowledge by the philosopher.
in the analogy the physical removal of chains and painful exit from the cave relates to…..
the mental shackles of normal people and the lonely path involving rejecting all that is familiar.
why does the escaped prisoner look for shadows?
the prisoner dazzled by reality and it takes a while to come to terms with truth.
what does the sun represent?
The Form of the Good.
why does the sun represent the form of the good?
All things depend on the sun for their existence and we must gain knowledge of the sun as it will allow us to gain knowledge of everything else. Enlightenment or the perfect Form of the Good; knowledge of true, essential goodness allows the soul (the eye) to gain real understanding
why does the philosopher return to the cave?
The Philosopher is duty bound to share the knowledge he acquires with ordinary people. Plato saw it as the Philosophers job to lead as they can think beyond the means of normal men.
what was the dialogue called that contained this analogy?
the republic
what sort of evidence does this analogy suggest is flawed?
empirical evidence.
