Philosophy and the Truman Show
The movie, "The Truman Show" is about a reality television show that has been created to document the life of a man who, adopted at birth by a television network, is tricked into believing that his life, his reality, is normal and the environment that he lives is real. It is set in a town called Seahaven, which is essentially a simulation of the real world similar enough to the outside world that the viewing audience can relate to it. The town is a television studio inside an enormous dome in which the weather, the sun, the sky, and all the actions of the citizens are directed by a team of special effects people. The entire show is directed and produced by the creator of the show, Christof. Truman Burbank, the star of the show, is the only one who doesn't know that he lives in a giant studio and is surrounded by an illusion of reality. The entire world watches Truman's movements twenty four hours a day, seven days a week through the use of thousands of miniature hidden cameras.
The Truman Show closely parallels Plato's Allegory of the Cave. Initially, Truman is trapped in his own "cave"; a film set or fictional island known as Seahaven. Truman's journey or ascension into the real world and into knowledge is similar to that of Plato's cave dweller.
Truman, much like the prisoners in the cave, would know no difference then what they have been taught or shown to be the real world their whole lives. If Truman was taught in geography class that there was only Seahaven and the rest of the world was water, then he would accept that as the truth. However, because of some of the situations he encounters and sees, and with his curiosity and logic, Truman is able to work out something isn't right about the world and manages to escape. Because it is a gradual realization, Truman doesn't go mad as his make believe world unravels around him. As might be the case with Plato's cave dwellers, as they are stepping into the light of the real world.
I think that a majority of
The Truman Show closely parallels Plato's Allegory of the Cave. Initially, Truman is trapped in his own "cave"; a film set or fictional island known as Seahaven. Truman's journey or ascension into the real world and into knowledge is similar to that of Plato's cave dweller.
Truman, much like the prisoners in the cave, would know no difference then what they have been taught or shown to be the real world their whole lives. If Truman was taught in geography class that there was only Seahaven and the rest of the world was water, then he would accept that as the truth. However, because of some of the situations he encounters and sees, and with his curiosity and logic, Truman is able to work out something isn't right about the world and manages to escape. Because it is a gradual realization, Truman doesn't go mad as his make believe world unravels around him. As might be the case with Plato's cave dwellers, as they are stepping into the light of the real world.
I think that a majority of