Group of prisoners have been chained to a wall their entire lives
Only see a series of shadows of people talking, moving around and carrying objects cast by the light from a fire - they believe this is reality
One prisoner escapes
Experiences pain and confusion at the brightness of the sinlight and the reality he experiences - comes to accept reality as it is
Goes back to tell other prisoners but struggles to see in the darkness of the cave after the light of the outside world - causes other prisoners to mock him
He no longer cares about the shadows as he understands how the world really is - this turns the other prisoners against him
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Cave Analogy Explanation:
Cave - the visible, physical world around us. Appears more real than the World of Forms
Prisoners - 'ordinary people' who are decieved and ignorant of what is real
Shadows - illusions created by our senses which cannot access reality
Journey of the Prisoner - journey of the philosopher who is dazzled by the light (knowledge).
Chains - the inability to free oneself from the illusions of the senses
Sun - the Form of the Good (highest Form)
Return of the Escaped Prisoner - the enlightened philosopher interacting with other people
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Cave Analogy Strengths:
Challenges what we believe
Illustrates the difficulties philosophers and those with opposing views have to face
Has various layers of meaning that link to the Theory of Forms
Descriptive imagery
Helps develop others' ideas
Relevant
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Cave Analogy Weaknesses:
Logical issues - why are people holding puppets up? who keeps the fire burning? why does only one prisoner escape?
Plato assumes that everyone is given the same knowledge
Elitist
Gender bias
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The Forms:
conceptual
objective
eternal
non-physical
perfect
rational
transcendant
reality
intelligible
illuminated [by the Form of the Good]
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The Particulars (copies of the Forms in our world)
corruptible
subjective
finite
material
imperfect
appearances [of the Forms]
opinions [formed by our unreliable senses]
sensible
physical
changing
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Theory of Forms Strengths:
Based within reason
Moral foundations
Hopeful for a perfect world that can be reached by the soul
Relatable - our world is imperfect
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Theory of Forms Weaknesses:
Doubtful and pessimistic - aren't we good enough?
Unchanging nature of the WoF isn't relatable - where is humanity's place in such a world?
How does the WoF account for new inventions and developments?
What does perfection and goodness actually mean?
Theory created in protest of a government that suppressed and punished alternative thinking, yet Plato is pushing his views on and claiming those who disagree are ignorant and unenlightened
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