We know what beauty and justice is without having experienced it in perfect Form so to Plato knowledge was a recollection of what our souls already knew while in the perfect external realm In the allegory of the cave is this. In the cave there a humans who have been chained at the head and the legs so as to only see the wall in which they are placed. The fire behind these figures creates shadows or illusions which the prisoners see as their reality. The objects cast on the wall are projected by people walking past with certain objects such as puppets. They have been in this state since they were born so they have grown into their ignorance.
Isolation, as defined by Macmillan Dictionary, is “the state of being separated from other people, or a situation in which you do not have the support of other people” (www.macmillandictionary.com). In Plato’s allegory, the prisoners are isolated in the cave and refuse to leave and face reality. They are convinced that the shadows and their world within the cave is what’s real and are afraid of what else is out there in the world. One can certainly relate to this feeling of isolation and Plato was trying to show us how a human being can feel alone and prefer to stay in the unknown rather than going out and facing what is really happening. In Faulkner’s story, Emily is completely isolated within her home.
Corrective action is needed to repair the minds of humanity, who have long-lived in a world where continuity equals comfort. Although in the allegory, Plato’s hypothetical detainees are forced, society in its usual, redundant state is similar to the cave and its fixed position. Inside the cave, shadows represent the totality of the prisoner’s existence – it is impossible for them to imagine a reality which consists of anything other than the morphing shadows on the wall. Change can usually elicit fear and naturally humans may protest change. An option to retreat to the upper world would be feared by the cave dwelling people.
As intellectual beings we seek to know the reality of how things appear to be versus how they really are. Historically the question, “what is real?” has been the subject of much philosophical conjecture. In comparing the synopsis from the movie The Matrix, Plato’s The Republic (The Allegory of the Cave), and Descartes, Meditation 1, I find both similarities and differences. While all three deal with the concept of false realities, both the Matrix and The Allegory of the Cave explore more the concept of two worlds, one world that has been created (an illusion) by outside sources, and the real word which is eventually revealed thus destroying the reality of those involved. While in contrast, in Meditation 1 Descartes takes a more introspective approach by analyzing reality with systematic doubt.
(p.4 par. 8) depicting his own lack of understanding. As Socrates describes the cave and its prisoners, he states that the prisoners would inherently be ignorant as to what is truely reality. As the readers, we all are aware that the people behind the prisoners are creating the shadows to represent reality
The analogy starts by imagining a group of prisoners that are chained in such a way that they can only see the cave wall in front of them. They have been this way since birth so they would assume that the cave wall is the material world. Behind them is a walkway with a low wall in front of it in which travellers carrying artefacts or statues would travel across. Behind these people is a fire which casts shadows of the artefacts against the cave wall. Naturally, when the people walked across with their various artefacts the prisoners would only see their shadows and if a traveller was to talk, they would logically assume that the sound or voice had come from the shadow.
Without the proper teaching, they obviously believe what they see. There is no reasoning behind what they see because they have not garnered the correct knowledge to know what is actually real and what is fake. Socrates also explains that as soon as the chained person breaks free from their perceived reality, they begin to come up with their own ideas on what is fact and what is fiction. He says that at first, they will be blinded by the light due to living in a cave for their whole lives. This explains that they will have trouble conceiving certain ideas, but now that they are shown what else is out there to learn, their own take on knowledge is revealed to
The initial problem the prisoners experience is their belief in the actuality of these shadows as objects in and of themselves. They believe the things they see on the wall are real, as they are, leading one to reference the prisoners games. The identification and games of prediction are rooted in a misguided foundation. The prisoners, think they are naming objects and predicting the order in which they appear, but Socrates points out the fact that their reality is limited to the shadows, they know nothing of the real cause of the
The shadows create a false image of reality, causing the prisoners to have a distorted perception of life. When one of the prisoners escapes, he discovers the true essence of the world in its natural state. Upon full analysis of the purpose of Plato’s Allegory, we recognize that mankind learns by reason, and not the senses. The acquisition of knowledge comes from rationalism, as we learn from logical
Sadly, the animals might not be so happy, after all. They don’t have a voice and cannot speak our language. If they don’t want to participate in films, they can’t tell us. We take it on ourselves to make their decision, which is wrong! According to Joyce Tischler of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, she says “there is nothing good for them in entertainment”.