Plato

Description

Philosophy Mind Map on Plato, created by jenny_allen on 27/04/2013.
jenny_allen
Mind Map by jenny_allen, updated more than 1 year ago
jenny_allen
Created by jenny_allen almost 11 years ago
92
1

Resource summary

Plato
  1. ANALOGY OF THE CAVE
    1. Prisoners in a cave are chained and can only face towards the back wall.
      1. The cave represents the world of things and people where knowledge is gained through senses - Plato described as the world of illusion.
        1. The chained prisoners represent ordinary, unenlightened people.
        2. A fire burns outside of the cave with objects passing it, casting shadows on the wall.
          1. The prisoners believe the shadows are real as they cannot see the objects themselves.
            1. The shadows appear to be real because the prisoners experience them with their senses.
            2. One of the prisoners is released and is allowed to leave the cave.
              1. The released prisoner represents the philosopher, who questions the reality of the shadows and where they came from.
              2. After a tough journey the released prisoner goes outside of the cave and sees the sun.
                1. The journey represents the journey of the mind or soul when a person examines the world around them.
                2. Outside of the cave the sun reveals a beautiful, colourful world, which is more meaningful and engaging than the shadows were.
                  1. The world outside of the cave is the real world of forms. The sun represents the Form of the Good.
                  2. The released prisoner returns to the cave to tell the others of what he has seen.
                    1. The philosopher tries to help others break free from the illusion, knowing that to have true knowledge prisoners must strive to see the Forms.
                  3. FORMS
                    1. Forms are ideas/concepts of what things are.
                      1. They are unchanging.
                      2. Plato argues that the true forms of things must exist somewhere.
                        1. Real world = world of forms.
                          1. World we live in = world of appearances.
                        2. RECOGNISING FORMS
                          1. We are born with a dim recollection from our prior existence in the world of forms.
                            1. PRIORI
                              1. POSTERIORI
                                1. 'from what comes after' - knowledge gained through experience.
                                2. 'from what comes before' - knowledge gained by reasoning, irrespective of experience.
                            2. FORM OF THE GOOD
                              1. The source of all existence and perfection - gives life to other things.
                                1. When aware of the Form of the Good you can achieve true enlightenment.
                              Show full summary Hide full summary

                              Similar

                              Breakdown of Philosophy
                              rlshindmarsh
                              Who did what now?...Ancient Greek edition
                              Chris Clark
                              Reason and Experience Plans
                              rlshindmarsh
                              The Cosmological Argument
                              Summer Pearce
                              AS Philosophy Exam Questions
                              Summer Pearce
                              Philosophy of Art
                              mccurryby
                              "The knower's perspective is essential in the pursuit of knowledge." To what extent do you agree?
                              nataliaapedraza
                              The Ontological Argument
                              daniella0128
                              Religious Experience
                              alexandramchugh9
                              Chapter 6: Freedom vs. Determinism Practice Quiz
                              Kristen Gardner
                              Environmental Ethics
                              Jason Edwards-Suarez