Often times in society, people place more importance on aspects of lesser value. Instead of focusing on the impactful matters, certain people allow the mere opinions and objects of physical worth to dictate their lives and actions. This idea can be visualized in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, where those dominated by public opinion are only capable of viewing a far removed, inaccurate version of reality. While this allegorical image acts as a critical reflection of civilization and various socio-political themes, it also displays other features discussed throughout Plato’s Republic, such as philosophical education, one’s movement towards enlightenment, and the “Divided Line”. With the use of numerous key symbols and metaphors, Plato further
…show more content…
However, even though Socrates spent an extensive amount of time describing this ideology, Glaucon and the others were not entirely convinced of the argument. In an attempt to get his audience to understand his reasoning, Socrates decided to supply a more mathematical description because it is something the listeners were familiar with. Similar to how the philosopher must reach a conclusion by utilizing his knowledge of the Forms, “students of geometry, calculation, and the like…make their claims for the sake of the square itself and the diagonal itself, not the diagonal they draw, and similarly with the others.” (510c3-d7). With an expansion of this explanation, Glaucon is able to comprehend how “there are four such conditions in the soul, corresponding to the four subsections of the line: understanding for the highest, thought for the second, belief for the third, and imaging for the last” (513d8-e1). However, in order for Glaucon’s and our understanding of this idea to further to the connection between “the effect of education and of the lack of it” (514a), Socrates offers his audience an allegory throughout Book VII of The Republic that has become immensely popular throughout centuries. Unlike before where Socrates would simply discuss his reasoning, The Allegory of the Cave offers a clear visual representation that critically reflects on society’s social and political themes while also making the journey up the “Divided Line” more understandable. Each element discussed in this allegory is symbolic, making it imperative that the audience pays close attention in order to fully comprehend the significance of the depicted scene. He begins by asking the listeners to “imagine human beings living in an underground, cavelike dwelling, with an entrance a long way up,
However, even though Socrates spent an extensive amount of time describing this ideology, Glaucon and the others were not entirely convinced of the argument. In an attempt to get his audience to understand his reasoning, Socrates decided to supply a more mathematical description because it is something the listeners were familiar with. Similar to how the philosopher must reach a conclusion by utilizing his knowledge of the Forms, “students of geometry, calculation, and the like…make their claims for the sake of the square itself and the diagonal itself, not the diagonal they draw, and similarly with the others.” (510c3-d7). With an expansion of this explanation, Glaucon is able to comprehend how “there are four such conditions in the soul, corresponding to the four subsections of the line: understanding for the highest, thought for the second, belief for the third, and imaging for the last” (513d8-e1). However, in order for Glaucon’s and our understanding of this idea to further to the connection between “the effect of education and of the lack of it” (514a), Socrates offers his audience an allegory throughout Book VII of The Republic that has become immensely popular throughout centuries. Unlike before where Socrates would simply discuss his reasoning, The Allegory of the Cave offers a clear visual representation that critically reflects on society’s social and political themes while also making the journey up the “Divided Line” more understandable. Each element discussed in this allegory is symbolic, making it imperative that the audience pays close attention in order to fully comprehend the significance of the depicted scene. He begins by asking the listeners to “imagine human beings living in an underground, cavelike dwelling, with an entrance a long way up,