The significance of the cave in Plato’s Republic
The significance of the cave in Plato’s Republic The allegory of the cave signifies the position humanity is in prior and after obtaining knowledge. With the allegory of the cave presented towards us as a utility or a stepping stone into further realization. Where prior to knowledge humans are considered like puppets, controlled by people as they wish. Through the allegory we are to see the effects and consequences of which knowledge will bring. The cave’s main representation from the allegory of the cave is that of people from child, chained and faced to the wall of the cave with their head and body bounded. Only able to view what they are shown, they misinterpret what they view as true knowledge. Whereas the place of real knowledge stems from above the cave and into the world. From ascending out the cave the person is able to view their surrounding and see truly what it was they saw. Where after ascended out the cave it would take time for them to adjust to the light(knowledge) of the world. After the person learned of the truth would eventually descend back down to the cave and to convince the others of what they are viewing is all but false imagery of the actual world. Not only do the people refuse to listen and to believe what they are being told, but ultimately end up killing the person who had ascended. This is allegory of Plato, in which was based on the events of Socrates. Where Plato believes that human knowledge at the moment is considered equivalent to that of being trapped in the allegory of the cave. Where they are being taught through the puppeteering or people with opinions but lacks true knowledge. This true knowledge comes from outside the cave and to those who had ascended out the cave. Those who had learned of true knowledge trying to bring back the knowledge they had seen back to the the people within the cave would face persecution, like that of Socrates did. That is the philosophy of Platos, that people even though shown the truth of