Ignorance In Plato's 'Apology'

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knowledge or conform to this new knowledge. The man approaching the light is him realizing his ignorance, coming to terms with it, and being enlightened gaining a new understanding. The dazzled reaction is the amazement he experienced seeing how blinded he once was by his preconceived thoughts but everything is now much clearer; allowing him to truly see reality as it is. The final sentence is Plato rephrasing the steps the man went through reaching his current state of understanding. The man first started off only knowing about the shadows, then he was released of his restraints able to see the reflections of the men and objects in water, finally reaching the stage prior to enlightenment is the man being able to finally see the objects that have passed him in shadows his whole life. …show more content…

In the Apology, Socrates makes a very similar example in his opening statement referring to being blinded by his ignorance but, coming to the realization that he needed to change his thoughts and reasoning. Explaining his journey from ignorance to enlightenment Socrates pleads his story to courtroom saying, “For to fear death, my friends, is only to think ourselves wise without really being wise, for it is to think that we know what we do not know. For no one knows whether death may not be the greatest good that can happen to man” (Plato). Socrates uses a metaphor to explain ignorance through preconceived ideas without any evidence supporting

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