Analogy of the cave1/27/2024 Perhaps, in a world of rulers and the ruled class, many people are incapable of seeing the vices executed by irrational rulers who act in disguise (Kreis 7). They need to distinguish it from illusions such as shadows of real objects as cast on the cave’s wall. The unchained man in the cave should accept his new status and strain to prove otherwise to those who have not yet experienced the reality. ‘The Allegory of the Cave’ teaches people to respect their ability to see the reality. This notion is analogous to the many people who remain chained on the wall as one of their peers gets an opportunity to interact with reality. Surprisingly, this class is composed of the fewest number of people in the population.Īlthough, they may be well equipped in making decisions for the society, ‘The Allegory of the Cave’ raises the idea that people should doubt them at least until convinced by reason that the decisions are right. Just as the rational component of the soul is the chief decision maker based on reason, rulers are charged with the role of giving directions to the rest of the class states (Jackson 53). The ruling class is made up of people who stand out in the society as the most intellectual and gifted. Each of the elements has different roles in the society. These categories are equivalent to the three aspects of the heart, namely coherent, spontaneous irrational, and the less cogent aspects. A society comprises class systems such as guardians, rulers, and workers. The main ideas of ‘The Allegory of the Cave’ can be understood well by considering the organization of the society. Hence, everything that it presents to people is open to doubt. This move is not acceptable since the world is not real. Believing in other people’s conviction implies that one is upholding a universally acceptable way of thought. This claim suggests the idea that people should only depend on the conviction of their minds when choosing on what is appropriate to do and/or not to do. Philosophically, the wise are the people who have freedom of thought and people who do not open their own minds to prejudice in search for what is real and accurate beyond any reasonable doubt. He asserts, “Universe ultimately is good if an enlightened individual has obligations to the rest of the society, and that a good society must be the one in which the truly wise are the rulers” (Kreis 1). This claim is evidenced by Plato’s theory that is advanced through the article. They have their minds trapped by unreasonable norms of various class systems. ![]() Since the world where people live in is unreal, it is inappropriate to trust most of them. Majority of people live in the unreal copy, which is characterized by various class systems. According to Plato, the manner in which the world is revealed to people is not a real copy of it. The salvation advocated by Plato is influenced by the theory of freedom of mind as advanced by his teacher, Socrates. In the philosophical work, Plato not only offers symbolic description of predicaments that people find themselves into, but also proposes their possible salvation (Kreis 1). The ‘Allegory of the Cave’ vividly describes the world of philosophy. Thus, it is dogmatic for a rational thinking being to trust the majority of people and their collective contention. This primitiveness of majority of people serves to advance and/or promote ignorance. This scenario suggests an idea that people fear coming into terms with reality. They indeed plot to murder him (Plato 659). When he reports to the rest of his chained colleagues about what he has seen outside the cave, they think that he is mad. Luckily, one of the people in the cave gets off his chains and manages to wander in the exterior of the cave (Plato 657). Hence, the only thing that they comprehend to exist is the gloominess of the object (Plato 657). Thus, they can only see it, but not the real object. In case an object passes by the fire, a shadow is transmitted on the wall. This situation makes them only able to see the wall. A shadow is cast following the burning fires. ![]() An opening is located at the top of the cave. Plato provides an analogy of how people live in the unreal world by describing a situation in which citizens live in a cave never to enjoy anything that the other world has to offer. The Main Ideas in ‘The Allegory of the Cave’Ī cave in ‘The Allegory of the Cave’ is a symbolic representation of the nature of the world and its occupants. ![]() This paper highlights one of his philosophical writings, namely ‘The Allegory of the Cave’, whose key ideas include the nature of the world and its occupants, the organization of the society, philosophy, and the essence of reality. They also discuss aesthetics, cosmology, political philosophy, and language.
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