Unveiling Plato’s Allegory: Journey from Ignorance to Enlightenment

907 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Plato's allegory of the cave lesson

In his famous “Allegory of the Cave,” Plato describes the journey to knowledge and truth, explaining how we come to know reality and why it is that some people are unable to attain true knowledge. In this essay I will be unfolding Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and explaining the prisoner’s journey from darkness (ignorance) to enlightenment (truth), explaining the philosophical view on reality versus belief and the process someone undergoes to achieve enlightenment.
The reader is brought into a philosophical conversation between Socrates and Glaucon where it is told that inside a dark cave there are prisoners, “…human beings living in a underground den…here they have been from their childhood…theirs legs and necks chained so they cannot move and can only see before them” (Plato, p. 1). Since the prisoners are incapable of moving for both their legs and necks are held in place by chains allowing them to only see what is in front of them. The prisoners are controlled by these chains grasping around their necks, preventing them from turning their heads and acknowledging the world and what lies around them - restricting their access to true understanding. It is further described that “Above and …show more content…

In other words, he is more comfortable with his ignorance - the only thing he has known thus far. But those who go beyond the cave of darkness (ignorance) can achieve enlightenment, the light, coming to the true reality of what is real. “This is he who gives the season and the years, and is the guardian of all that is in the visible world and in a certain way the cause of all things…” (p. 3). The prisoner has been led to the sun and reached enlightenment. He has experienced new things and now sees the sun as the cause of all things. He understands now that the sun is the basis of life and it governs all life outside the

Show More
Related

  • Comparing Plato's Allegory Of The Cave And Jumping Mouse

    1221 Words  | 3 Pages

    When he hypothetically returns to try to tell those who are still chained there of the outside world, and how everything they see is only the faint shadows outlining the true nature of reality, they reject him outright. He would be immediately mocked, and any attempts to convince the remaining prisoners would be rebuffed in their futility. Acceptance of his ideas would mean a complete restructuring of all that they now accepted as reality. Any previous satisfaction that they could have had in their position would be lost with their view of that position, and that causes a great deal of discomfort in the minds of the prisoners, given that they are not sure of the same happiness on the other side of change. It does not seem graspable to them that they might find more happiness after they see the truth from the returning prisoner's point of view, so they choose the safe alternative, that of close-mindedness.

    Read More

  • Plato's 'Allegory Of The Cave'

    884 Words  | 2 Pages

    Portraying the prisoners inside the cave for a lifetime further describes his beliefs on how closed minded society is in his opinion. The “light outside the cave” explains how he feels knowledge is the source of light to everyone’s lives. Without knowledge, there is lack of light. Also, since society does not want to gain further knowledge, they will seem to stay stuck in the dark tunnel. Plato also uses personification to give reader insight on how someone may treat the earth and appreciate it. For example, Plato states “Clearly, he said, he would first see the sun and then reason about him.” The reasoning behind this is to explain how a man would reason with the sun as if it were an actual speaking person. The style of Plato’s writing gives readers an understanding on why his work is named “Allegory of the Cave”. The use of his rhetorical devices give deeper meanings to the Earth and the nature it

    Read More

  • Plato's The Allegory of the Cave

    811 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Plato’s “The Allegory of the Cave,” he suggests that there are two different forms of vision, a “mind’s eye” and a “bodily eye.” The “bodily eye” is a metaphor for the senses. While inside the cave, the prisoners function only with this eye. The “mind’s eye” is a higher level of thinking, and is mobilized only when the prisoner is released into the outside world. This eye does not exist within the cave; it only exists in the real, perfect world.

    Read More

  • Plato's Allegory Of The Cave

    1521 Words  | 4 Pages

    Freedom in mind, freedom in nature, and freedom in subjectivity of individual are three kinds of freedoms. However, freedom should be expressed within the limits of reason and morality. Having freedom equals having the power to think, to speak, and to act without externally imposed restrains. As a matter of fact, finding freedom in order to live free is the common idea in Plato with "The Allegory of the Cave"; Henry David Thoreau with " Where I lived and What I lived for"; and Jean Paul Sartre with " Existentialism". Generally, Plato, Thoreau, and Sartre suggested that human life should be free. They differ in what that freedom is. Plato thinks it is found in the world of intellect, Thoreau thinks freedom is found in nature, and Sartre thinks freedom is found in subjectivity of individual.

    Read More

  • Allegory Of The Cave Essay

    560 Words  | 2 Pages

    They no longer bury their heads in the sand or look down at a wall reflecting shadows. They have sought knowledge and by seeking knowledge instead of assuming they have it they have become wise. The people chained to the wall are a metaphor for humanity ,chained thereby their own insolence and unwillingness to believe in the possibility of more .I think they chained themselves willingly, happily, blindly. consequently when one of the prisoners escapes, this is why they do not follow suit and when he returns with the news of his gained wisdom they kill him. Simply because it is easier to fear what you do not understand than it is to embrace what you do not know and seek to make the unknown known.

    Read More

  • Plato's Allegory Of The Cave

    653 Words  | 2 Pages

    Plato's Allegory of the Cave is a symbol for the contrasts between ideas and what we perceive as reality. The Allegory of the Cave is that we are chained to a wall. Behind us is another wall with figures walking across it, behind that wall is a pit of fire. The firelight casts shadows upon the wall in front of those chained to the wall. Because we are chained to the wall we believe the figures are what they represent. Plato says there times when one tries to break away from the wall but others encourage him to join back the wall as he experiences what the world truly is. Because we are chained to the wall we are afraid of the unknown. But breaking free could change the perception about the world and feel truly free. Plato also argues that we are the cave slaves. We live in a world of shadows, where we don't see the reality of ideas. However, it is possible to climb out of the cave, to be released from our shackles but it’s difficult. And when we ( s...

    Read More

  • Parallels between The Movie, The Matrix and Plato's Allegory Of The Cave

    2216 Words  | 5 Pages

    In conclusion, Plato's story of the cave brings up many philosophical points and most importantly, addresses the issue of society's role in our lives. To some degree, we are all influenced by the thoughts and actions of others; however, at the same time, we have the ability to question, draw our own conclusions, and ultimately make our own choices.

    Read More

  • Plato's The Allegory Of The Cave

    778 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the essay “The Allegory of the Cave,” Plato addresses how humans generally do not pursue knowledge. Most humans are satisfied with what they already know and do not want to expand their knowledge. Plato uses simple examples to help the reader understand his logic on why humans do not expand their knowledge.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Plato's Cave Allegory

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    Do we really understand the world we live in and see everyday? Is our everyday perception of reality a misinterpretation, which somehow we can’t break free from? A famous Greek philosopher by the name of Plato sought out to explain this in an experiment he called the Cave Allegory. I will discuss what the Cave Allegory is as well as talk about the movie Interstellar, which is a great example of Plato’s Cave Allegory and how it relates to Plato’s ideas. The question we have to answer first is, what is Plato’s Cave Allegory?

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Plato's Allegory Of The Cave And The Confessions

    1689 Words  | 4 Pages

    This is no easy task for “if this man went down into the cave again and sat down in his same seat, wouldn’t his eyes-coming suddenly out of the sun like that-be filled with darkness?” (Plato, 5). Socrates is explaining that after becoming educated about the real truths it would be hard for a person to go back to a life where those truths are rejected. The freed man must use his reason to understand that those people in the dark still believe the shadows on the wall are real truths. They have not experienced for themselves what it means to be educated by the light and the man who has seen the light must proceed with patients and caution while trying to guild the prisoners out of the dark. He understands the struggle the prisoners will encounter, but through his understanding of his faith he knows not give up on the prisoners. This is because after he had become educated he was able to understand that putting his faith in God meant saving the prisoners. However, once they have reached the light it is up to them to decide what they truly want to put their faith into. So the man who has already seen the light will be understanding if a person chooses to follow a different faith based on the common truths they have experienced. For then, that person will have experienced the journey in becoming educated about the truths of their religion, and can use their reason to decide they want to follow a different faith. Similarly, in “The Confessions” Augustine describes his journey in discovering the truths about Christianity which he ultimately puts his faith

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Tlato's Allegory Of The Cave And The Truman Show

    1280 Words  | 3 Pages

    As people, we tend to believe everything we see. Do we ever take the time to stop and think about what is around us? Is it reality, or are we being deceived? Reality is not necessarily what is in front of us, or what is presented to us. The environment that we are placed or brought up has a great impact on what we perceive to be the truth or perceive to be reality. Plato’s Allegory of the Cave is one of the most significant attempts to explain the nature of reality. The cave represents the prisoners, also known as the people. They are trapped inside of a cave. They are presented with shadows of figures, and they perceive that to be reality. The cave can be used as a

    Read More

  • The Allegory Of The Cave And The Apology By Plato

    1292 Words  | 3 Pages

    In "The Allegory of the Cave," prisoners in a cave are forced to watch shadows as people behind them are forced to accept these shadows as reality -- "To them... the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images. One prisoner, however, is released, and stumbles into the real world, containing more depth and complexity than they had ever known. At first, the prisoner will be pained at the bright, piercing light, but will eventually recover. According to Plato, the freed prisoner is then obligated to return to the shadows of the cave, to inform the shackled prisoners left behind of the real world. The prisoners, however, will not believe the freed prisoner, and may even go as afra s to kill him for such "lies" contrary to their "reality." The pursuit of the truth is, therefor, a painstaking but rewarding process. According to Plato, the physical world is a world of sight, one that lacks meaning if left alone. Only those who manage to break into the sunlight from the cave will ascend to the intellectual world. The prisoners in the shadows only know of the dull physical world, while those who ascend into the sunlight learn of the spiritual world, and are exposed to the first hints of truth. The soul ascends upward into the realm of goodness and of the truth, where "... souls are ever hastening into the upper world where they desire to dwell.." The pursuit of goodness and of the truth, then, improves the soul, as the soul desires to be elevated to a higher state of knowledge and morality. Caring for the self and the soul involves freeing the shackles of the physical world and ascending to the "... world of knowledge... the universal author of all things beautiful and right... and the immediate source of reason and truth in the intellectual..." The soul yearns to dwell in a world of morality and knowledge, and only the pursuit of

    Read More

  • Shackle The Mind In Plato's Cave

    529 Words  | 2 Pages

    There’s a lot of restrictions that shackle the mind in real life and I think that’s what Plato was trying to show in the Cave. In the story when the prisoner was freed and taken out into the real world where it's bright and free. This is relevant to this question because he couldn’t understand the outside world and it shackled his mind and he didn’t understand it. There’s other scenarios that shackle the mind in this story and in real life. Let me explain as to way I think this.

    Read More

  • Review of Plato's The Allegory of the Cave

    359 Words  | 1 Pages

    In Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave," Socrates tells an allegory of the hardship of understanding reality. Socrates compares a prisoner of an underground cave who is exploring a new world he never knew of to people who are trying to find a place of wisdom in reality.

    Read More

  • Philosophy CPT: “The unexamined life is not worth living”

    696 Words  | 2 Pages

    Plato, a student of Socrates, in his book “The Republic” wrote an allegory known as “Plato's Cave”. In Plato's allegory humans are trapped within a dark cave where they can only catch glimpses of the world above through shadows on the wall.2 Plato is describing how the typical human is. They have little knowledge and what they think they know has very little basis in fact. He describes these people as prisoners, in his allegory, and they are only free when they gain knowledge of the world above the cave.

    Read More

More about Unveiling Plato’s Allegory: Journey from Ignorance to Enlightenment

Open Document