Plato s Allegory Of Cave - 1979 Words

Janeva Walters December 6, 2016 Dr. T. Brady ENG 391 Plato’s Allegory of Cave The allegory of the cave is regarded as one of the most reputed and acclaimed works by the Greek philosopher Plato in modern literature as well as philosophy. First published and presented in his work known as a Republic (514a–520a), the dialogues that have been used as conversation can be regarded as fictitious as the main conversation takes place between Plato’s brother Glaucon and Socrates. First and foremost, allegorical writing is a type of writing that has two sets of meanings, one which can be assumed as literal and the other one is allegorical. Although this piece was written long before my time, the underlying message it intends to convey is still relevant today. Our society is trapped in a cave. To begin with, the literal meaning is the content or subject matter, whereas, the allegorical meaning is one which can only be understood by developing a greater sense of understanding regarding symbols and metaphors that have been used in the writing. In this work, Plato symbolized the existence of the world as a cave. The cave is very dark and people that are in it can hardly see anything (Bachelors and Masters, 2016). Also, inside the cave are people who are held captive with chains tied to their neck and feet, which makes their movement extremely difficult and virtually impossible. At the same time, Plato also talks about the world that lies outside the cave. However, between these twoShow MoreRelatedPlato s Allegory Of The Cave1716 Words   |  7 PagesIn Plato’s, Allegory of the cave, a key theory I found was the importance of education. Plato uses an â€Å"allegory to illustrate the dilemma facing the psyche in the ascent to knowledge of the imperishable and unchanging forms† (104) Based on my research of the republic, the allegory can reveal multiple hidden messages. Plato describes, ordinary mortals are chained within an underground chamber, which according to Fiero, represents the psyche imprisoned within the human body. These mortals can’t lookRead MorePlato s Allegory Of The Cave1814 Words   |  8 PagesIn Plato’s, â€Å"Allegory of the Cave†, a key t heory I found was the importance of gaining knowledge. Plato uses an â€Å"allegory to illustrate the dilemma facing the psyche in the ascent to knowledge of the imperishable and unchanging forms† (Fiero, 104). Based on my research of the Republic, the allegory can reveal multiple hidden messages. Plato describes in the Allegory, ordinary mortals who are chained within an underground chamber, which according to Fiero, represents the psyche imprisoned within theRead MorePlato s Allegory Of The Cave1379 Words   |  6 Pagesbeen in a cave? Caves are dark, cold, and often times dangerous. People who lose their source of light in a cave often face death from physical injury or hypothermia, unless otherwise rescued. The Greek philosopher Plato illustrated the difference between reality and illusion through a story about prisoners who lived their entire existence in a cave. Plato tells the â€Å"Allegory of the Cave† as a conversation between Socrates, his mentor, and Glauc on, one of Socrates’ students. Plato’s allegory of theRead MorePlato s Allegory Of The Cave Essay1630 Words   |  7 Pagescondition impressed by an image can sometimes like as a flame, spreading throughout other discourses for long after its initial kindling. Such is the case with Plato s allegory of the cave, which has for over 2,500 years inspired significant contributions to theorizations of truth. Despite the age of Plato s work, the truth in the allegory is demonstrated by its own universality; as a formative piece of literature, the story acts as a gateway into Western discourses of truth. Truth remains an elusiveRead MorePlato s The Allegory Of The Cave1965 Words   |  8 PagesIn this paper I shall argue for Socrates’ notion in the Allegory of the Cave, saying that the purpose of education is not to place knowledge to the mind where there was none, but instead to recognise the already underlying existence of such insight inside the mind, and to help d ivert the ones in need of teaching onto the correct path to find and retrieve such knowledge. Plato in his time was a dedicated student of Socrates, so most of Socrates â€Å"logos† and concepts heavily influenced Plato’s futureRead MorePlato s Allegory Of The Cave910 Words   |  4 Pagesnature within them to reach their potential. Allegory is to reveal a hidden meaning, normally a moral, based on fictional stories. Plato Allegory of the Cave reminds us that the theory of Forms is real and suggests that the one with the empirical science would share his mind with the commoner in society. We must grasp the complex different types of Forms – opinion, knowledge and beauty really meant for Plato. In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, Plato talks about dualism, mind (soul) and body. InRead MorePlato s Allegory Of The Cave Essay1370 Words   |  6 Pagesflesh to satisfy the god (Ahmed 2010). All of these civilizations were interactive with their environment, but imagine if one knew only of the reality they believed inside of a cave not experiencing e vents within the real world. In Plato’s, Allegory of the Cave, he describes the scenario of prisoners kept isolated in a cave left to come up with a reality that they comprehended with the images that they saw in front of them. This applies especially to politics, because people are left to decipherRead MoreAnalyzing Plato s Allegory Of The Cave874 Words   |  4 PagesI’ll be analyzing Plato’s Allegory of the Cave through my own interpretation. An allegory is defined as â€Å"a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.† In Plato’s Republic the short excerpt The Allegory of the Cave can be viewed through multiple perspectives. Plato’s image of the cave is known as the â€Å"theory of forms†¦ The theory assumes the existence of a level of reality inhabited by ideal â€Å"forms† of all things and concepts (Revelations:Read MorePlato s Allegory Of The Cave Ess ay1842 Words   |  8 Pagesto find pieces about importance of our ego as well. Plato is one of the most important philosophers in western history. That brings us a question, why ego is such significant for both western and eastern philosophers and religious works? Sigmund Freud, who carried on Plato’s thinking on humanity and our society, pointed out what Plato has vaguely discussed about that the significance and impact the ego has on us. In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, what the prisoners are actually experiencing the fightRead MorePlato s Allegory Of The Cave1217 Words   |  5 Pagesthe other persons and sometimes that can get a little out of hand, depending on who you are dealing with. I guess the major point in all this is to never judge a book by its cover, always learn yourself. In Plato’s â€Å"Allegory of the Cave†, there are these prisoners that live in a cave and have never seen any natural sunlight. They can only see shadows of things displayed on the wall by the light coming from the fire. The prisoners get happy and interested by the shadows they see. The shadows could