Meaning of the Allegory of the Cave

Meaning of the Allegory of the Cave

1. Allegory

   • A story with meanings on several levels

2. Why does Plato use this Allegory?

   • 1. Express progress of the mind from the lowest stages of enlightenment to knowledge of the Good
   • 2. Show a contrast of those who see (philosophers) and those who cannot
   • 3. Express his views on who should be in charge - the more rational and enlightened beings ( philosophers)

3. Imagery of the cave

   • Comfort zone
   • Closed minds
   • Happy with what they perceive as reality
   • Limited to what they can learn

4. The Prisoners

   • Society
   • Controlled by others/those in charge
   • Choices made based on others decisions

5. Shadows

   • Control of those who know more
   • Lead people into a false sense of security and reality

6. Prisoners who take shadows at face value

   • Unwilling to learn more
   • Society ( not philosophers)
   • They take the shadows to more real, do not question

7. The freed Prisoner

   • Journey of knowledge
   • Not easy to find the truth but it is important
     • Journey - Long, difficult, painful
   • Once experiencing it, he knows the importance of the truth

8. Outside the person understands

   • The real truth
   • What has been hidden from him
   • Enlightenment for him
   • Truth and reality and is more knowledgeable and wise because of it

9. The former prisoner

   • A philosopher
   • Someone who knows the truth and dedicates his life to helping others know it

10. Chained prisoners

    • An unwillingness of society to believe
    • Don't want to believe that tehy and their reality is wrong

11. Plato's point

    • Society are happy and comfortable where they are
    • Prisoners don't understand what the cave is to the former prisoner as they have not seen the outside world