Analogy of the cave

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  • Analogy of the cave
    • When the prisoners are in the cave there is no way that they can begin to question the 'essence' of different aspects of their wolrd
      • As far as they are concerned, they already know the answers
    • They can only hear voices and echos of voices
      • unable to distinguish between reality and appearance
        • They do not even know that there is any difference
        • Nothing they perceive with their senses gives them true information
        • They think the shadows are real objects
        • They are completely unaware of their own ignorance
          • When he escapes he doesn't want to go because he has been comfortable with his life of ignorance
            • Much like we are when we don't like listening to the view of Philosophers.
              • How can we be ignorant in our knowledge if we know no better?
    • He wants us to know that when we begin to question the world around us and wonder what is real and what is illusionary, it is a painful experience.
    • The prisoner adjusts to his new life
      • His wisdom grows, he begins to recognise the importance of the sun in illuminating all of his other knowledge
      • The sun is the form of the good
        • The cave with its shadows is something we experierience when we are ignorant of the Form of the Good
      • The sun gives structure his new life and the sun enables him to see things as they really are
    • The prisoner represents those who undertake phillosophy
      • Those in the cave represent those who like to like an 'unexamined life' and who are content to be impressed with appearances
      • Those who persevere and take the steep slope out of the cave recognise their inate ability to seek the truth
      • Reality is invisible

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