Allegory of the Cave
So, here is the written and narrated version of Plato's Allegory of the Cave. Since you are all young, energetic, intelligent and future college grads, how does this theory apply to you? Figure out what it means and apply it to yourself as a future leader of society.
(Under the title on the link you can click on the blue subtitle and watch a version while you read along.)
The Allegory of the Cave by Plato is about human perception. We believe what we see and hear to be true. Those chained in the cave believed the shadows to be true. However, the prisoner who ventured above ground slowly understood that what he had believed to be true was false. There is always more to learn, and sometimes what you already know is later challenged by other facts. The allegory also states that we need to share our knowledge and enlighten those who are in the dark.
ReplyDeleteIn the following years, all of us will be continuing our learning in some form. While in college, I plan to keep an open mind and always strive to discover new things. Once I am out of college, I will start putting what I learned to good use, but I will still keep learning. I think that another important thing will be to share my knowledge and become part of the flow of information that helps people constantly better themselves. Plato's Allegory of the Cave taught me that things are not always what they seem, and even if you know the truth that does not mean everyone else does.
I loved how you mentioned college and how you will continue to learn even after college is through. Wonderful blog, Meaghan!
DeleteMegs, the flow you mentioned is definitely a cool idea. I've never really thought of the pursuit of a better intellgience as a flow of knowledge. Great wording! Your blog overall was very interesting!
DeleteYour second paragraph was like a blueprint of what we should do; learn, share, and apply knowledge. I think you're right in saying that we have to keep an open mind because what we think here in little old St. Marys may not necessarily be the truth. A job well done, I think you really understood this blog!
DeleteMeaghan, this was really good. I think we have similar ideas on Plato's work here. I really liked your concluding sentence! Good job Meaghan!
DeleteThe Allegory of the Cave is such an eye opener. Just as the shadows in the cave weren't as they thought, nothing is as it seems. You can never be too sure of anything. The men in the cave only knew the shadows. They didn't know where they had come from. They assumed, but once they learned more, they realized that their assumptions were wrong. We are constantly learning and our opinions are constantly changing. The more knowledge we have, the more options we are given.
ReplyDeleteEven as life goes on, you always be learning new things, every single day. No matter how hard you try, you will never know everything. We need to keep this in mind and try not to get too hot headed and arrogant and slow down before we jump to conclusions. We also need to keep in mind, everyone thinks differently. One might know the truth while another might not. It's our job to help others and share our knowledge.
Felicia, I loved your statement about how our options change as our knowledge does. That was an interesting observation and your entire blog was very well thought through. Great job!
DeleteFelicia, I really liked what you said about not everyone knowing the same thing. I agree that everyone needs to share their knowledge to help each other grow. Fantastic work!
DeleteI thought that what you took from this was really interesting. Plato is kind of saying that we don't know everything. And I agree, we are obligated to share what we know with others so that they learn more. Wonderful job!
DeleteFelicia, your blog was amazing! I especially agree with your statement on how it is our job to share our knowledge and learn new things. Great work!!
DeleteFelicia, I really liked your perspective. It really gasps the idea that what we know is only a glimmer of the depths of the topic just like the shadows are only an outline of the figures. The more knowledge you gain you can slowly break the chains holding you back until finally you are able break them completely to study and take in every little detail that makes the imagine of the shadow (topic) up. Overall, great job!
DeletePlato's Allegory of the Cave was an interesting read. It is not definitely a thought provoking article, especially when applied to large issues like religion and education. When I initially read it, I first thought of religion, and how so many other religions have been convinced that their way of worshipping a supreme god are inferior to others. Less socially and technologically developed cultures were forced to convert to a different religion because a group of people with "better" clothes, technology, and intelligence say that it is incorrect. These less advanced people could quite possibly be like the man who rose from that cave and was enlightened by the sun, or that characteristic may be related to the other advanced group of individuals.
ReplyDeleteAfter walking down this path of thought for a while, I turned it to education. Who is to know which is the true person who has been enlightened? A child sees life much more clearly and simply than an adult or teenager that has possibly been blinded by experiences that bias them.
But, once I passed these trains of thought I began to think how it affected me and my future. Many times I have discredited other people's opinions based on only what I have seen or learned through my own experiences. Who am I to know whether or not they have learned something extraordinary that is actually credible? Just because I myself have not had the opportunity to experience it, doesn't mean I should ignore their claims. If I learn something new, I want others to take me at my word.
As college graduates and future participants in grown-up society, we are all going to experience these types of encounters. We must keep ourselves open to knowledge, no matter what the source. Yet, we must seek out the credibility of that source so as not to be blindsided by our eagerness to learn. One truth must be sought until it is discovered and then a new one must be set after. This will continue our whole lives, as no one could possibly learn all of the truths that our world holds.
Hannah, you made a plethora of interesting and accurate remarks in your blog. I particularly liked your statement that just because we don't agree with something doesn't mean it's not true. I also liked what you said about our continued learning. Fantabulous work!!!
DeleteHan, I really liked how you used your understanding of the passage through education. It was really interesting to read. Great job!
DeleteWhen I first started listening to the Youtube video of Plato's Allegory of the Cave, I was kind of creeped out a bit. The man's voice was creepy and I thought it was weird of how humans were chained by their necks, seemed inhumane, but I went with it. As the continued to watch the video and follow along with the text, it all seemed to make more sense.
ReplyDeleteThe men that had their necks chained and couldn't even move their heads one inch saw everything from only one perspective. They were able to see the shadows of objects that the fire created for them, but they weren't able to see or visualize the real thing. Therefore, they had a false perception of what the object actually looked like.
However, there was a man who was able to see the real world. He was able to visualize the sun, the stars, and all the objects he once saw as shadows. He saw everything for what it truly was and worth. He was able to see the 'big' picture.
I think Plato's Allegory of the Cave is saying to always try to strive for something better. Never be completely satisfied with where we are in life. Be blessed and grateful with the opportunities you were given. Also, always try to bring others up to that level of success and greatness. Don't let those people bring them down to your level just to make themselves feel better. Be your own person, and see everything for what it truly is, not the shadows. Don't live in the shadow of someone or something, live in and with the sunlight!
This could also be applied to college choosing as well. For example, just because none of your friends have applied to Ivy League or top notch schools, doesn't mean you shouldn't! Don't stoop down to a level just because your friends are! Always try and raise the bar. I believe we all the capabilities to achieve whatever we want in life, we just can't let anything stop us. When I go to college, I don't want any little school, I want the best of the best! I believe that we all have the brains and capabilities to attend elite colleges/ universities.
Tori, I really enjoyed how you said that you were a little bit creeped out at first. I also was rather confused with how the entire story started. I like how you made the connection with the story and society today. You also did a good job by explaining that we can go for Ivy League schools. Great work!
DeleteTori, I also thought the story was a little weird at the beginning. When I was watching the video, I had to play it back once or twice to figure out what was going on. I liked how you talked about seeing things in the "shadows". When I read the allegory I never thought about the message of the shadows. I also think it is important to look beyond the shadow to see the real figure, even though it may be hard.
DeleteNice job Tori!
I had to listen to and read Plato's Allegory of the Cave twice before really understanding what Plato was trying to say. He was speaking on the topic of knowledge; more particularly the exchange of knowledge. It is the duty if those who know more truths to share their truths with those who may not know them, however difficult that may be. Plato suggests that it won't be easy when he speaks about one man being forced to face the sun and 'upper world'. Because he was faced with a truth he had not grown up with or been taught it seemed unbelievable to him. The man had to adjust and experience this new world to understand it. It is the same with knowledge. Earlier this year we read a long-winded letter from Galileo on the topic of the Church's reaction to his theory on the revolution of the planets. It is the Church's reaction that serves as a perfect example for what Plato is saying. The idea of all that they knew being completely wrong astounded them and they wouldn't listen to Galileo. Plato said 'And if anyone tried to release another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch the offender, and they would put him to death.' In a sense, that was what he Church tried to do to Galileo. They buried him in false accusations of scandal and treason so that nobody would dare believe what he was saying.
ReplyDeletePlato also insists that it is the duty of the enlightened to share their knowledge, no matter the cost. Does that not also mean that every man should seek more knowledge their entire life? It is impossible for one person to know and understand everything, but we go to school so that we can get as much knowledge as we can. Those who are passionate about knowledge search for more within and outside of their education. Those who are comfortable with what they know remain in 'their cave.' That's why it is so important for us to continue our education and search for more information on anything at all. There will never be a shortage of knowledge for us to find. The problem is that, without the necessary amount, we will be unprepared for the world when we face it. The sun will blind us and we will have to waste time then, readjusting to life, when we could have readied ourselves before.
As juniors, we really do have to start thinking about colleges. I suggest that we take Plato's Allegory of the Cave to heart and search for more. Don't settle for what everyone else does, don't be forced into doing what you're not passionate about. For the rest of our lives we will face new situations that will frighten us and the only way to defend ourselves will be with the knowledge we have gathered throughout our lives. We have to do the best we can now to be the best we can be latter, to be able to share what we know, and to be able to emerge from 'the cave' and accept the light.
Ann, I like how you stated that it truly is impossible to learn everything in life, but we should do everything in our power to learn as much as we can. I think it was good that you spoke of the man seeing the "upper world". I also enjoyed how you explained that we should not settle for what everyone else does. We should go the extra distance so that we can be the best of the best. Great effort!
DeleteAnn, this was an excellent post. I agree that sometimes learning the truth may be very difficult, especially when you believed something extremely different while growing up. Hopefully, as we go off to college, we learn to acknowledge other perspectives. I also wrote that we should not settle for average, especially when there are bigger and better things out there waiting for us. Ann, I like how you basically said that it is frightening to leave an area, like the cave, that you were once so familiar with. However, your last sentence really summed your post up nicely. It is about time that we "accept the light" as we "emerge" from the darkness. Truthfully, there is a lot of stuff we don't know, even though, as teenagers, we like to think we know everything. Nice job, Ann!
DeleteThe “Allegory of the Cave” was a story that explained how important it is to have more than one perspective of society. We must not continue to have ourselves chained up like the men in the story. If you are chained up there is no possible way that you can see all the diverse perspectives of society. When I began reading the story, I was a little confused on what message was being sent, but as I continued on I realized that there was a connection.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that so many times in life people have a set opinion on a topic, and the issue is that they are not looking at the situation from all perspectives. Just as the people who were chained up in “Allegory of the Cave”, it is rather simple to misinterpret what something actually is when you are only able to look at it from one view. It is the same thing for society and many others. People are always expressing their opinions on society when most of them do not view society from more than one perspective. The man, who eventually was able to see that the shadows he believed to be true were false, demonstrated that a person can always learn more. In life it seems as though a person can continue to gain experience forever.
When I thought about what this story could mean to me, I knew right away that it was to be optimistic. I believe that it is essential for a person to never reach a point in their life where they believe that they can’t gain anymore knowledge. Everyone should strive for success in society today. If you are going to be a future leader of society, you should not truly have a finish line. It is good to have goals along the way, but you should always be working to improve on anything that you do.
As college was mentioned at the beginning of the blog, it also relates to the entire situation. Many people think that once they graduate from college that they have learned everything that can possibly be comprehended. The truth is that you still learn for years and years after you graduate from college. Just as the man in the story who searched for knowledge, we should continue to look for ways that we can improve society and develop as a person.
Drew, I really enjoyed your whole blog, but your final paragraph was my favorite. You are extremely right when you say we need to keep learning after college. Great job.
DeletePlato's "Allegory of the Cave" taught a particular lesson to me. The lesson was that nothing should be assumed. All people judge things on what is not known. As Plato said that the chained people could not see, I feel as if many people are also chained up in life. People assume they are at their potential and think they know enough so they quit trying to progress. As Plato explained there are many things in the shadows there are also many things in a human lifetime that are never discovered.
ReplyDeleteLife is about learning and never quitting. I feel like everyone falls a little short and quits to early sometimes. It is important for people however to continue to learn new things everyday. Without continuing to learn a person would be stuck in one place forever and never would be able to succeed and progress.
While I was in Philadelphia earlier this weekend for a college tour I sat in on a professor's class. The professor brought up arguments and problems that are currently around the world today and the students all gave their prospective on what they thought of the problem and how to solve it. Just going into the class and listening to the students taught me a lot as I am sure college will later. Learning from other students and eventually sharing my knowledge will help the world continue to function as Plato explained in "The Allegory of the Cave".
Austin, I liked how you used your experience of sitting in on the college class as an example of the meaning too the "The Allegory of the Cave". Nice job!
DeleteToday, would you believe anything that someone told you? No, if someone told you not to play with fire because you would pee the bed, you wouldn't believe it. You would know better than that because you have had experience. A child, on the other hand, would easily believe something like this, because they don't know any better. Children believe what their elders say because they are not they have played with fire, so they would not know to not believe the adults.
ReplyDeleteThe Allegory of the Cave is is about how people would rather live a comfortable, familiar life even if it's full of lies, than to go out into the world and face the unknown truths if the world. While I was reading this passage, I kept thinking about how during the talk with our new president, he said that we think think that the whole world is like St.Marys, where most of us are or acting Catholics. Why wouldn't we think that, it is all we have ever known. This is exactly what Plato was talking about. We honestly have no idea if that is how the rest of the world is.
Applying this to my life is simple. Throughout my life I would like to experience as many new and different things as I can for myself. I'd like to travel and experience different cultures and new places. I don't want to spend my life watching shadows dancing on a wall.
Erin, I liked your view of the allegory, it's unique. The examples you use are very powerful ones! Living in a sheltered place such as Elk County we miss many of the problems plaguing other towns and cities, whether this is a good or bad thing depends on the person you speak to. Leaving town and traveling makes you realize how wonderful living here truly is so my question is is the knowledge of knowing always a good thing or does it have its downsides? Sometimes is it not better to have a child's ignorance, rather than knowing?
DeleteErin, the last sentence in your second paragraph really hit me. You're right. We have absolutely no idea how the rest of the world is. It is impossible to know all that. It really helped put things in perspective for me. Excellent job!
DeleteErin, I really enjoyed your example in the first paragraph. It made me giggle!:) You did a really nice job of explaining what Plato's parable meant to you and to your future living. Great work!
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ReplyDeletePlato's Allegory of the Cave is a lesson in education. Those who are capable of achieving a higher education are not to believe they are more worthy than others. Rather the educated are to humble themselves and aid the uneducated in their own problems, not ignore the issue. If this was the case, than no one would be educated because you learn from other people such as teachers, instructors, and leaders. Relying on only your education could potentially lead to an egotistical world in which few would succeed. By conversing with the uneducated the educated can learn new ideas and find ways to solve problems in unique ways.
As a person who will be entering the workforce within the next ten years this passage has a lot of meaning to me. To me it says that while receiving a college education is great it is your boss or higher-up that will be the one to teach me in practical matters. Their input will be more valuable because they deal with the problem daily, while in the classroom your knowledge is mostly only theoretical. Also, if others, such as doctors, did not take the time to teach interns or their patients then our society would be lacking in knowledgable doctors for the next generation. We are all interconnected and to excel at our jobs we have to rely on shared knowledge, without it all our futures look bleak.
Erin, I really liked your second sentence. "Those who are capable of achieving a higher education are not to believe they are more worthy than others." I related this back to Ben Carson and how he humbled himself and never thought he was better than anyone else even though he was saving lives. Great work!
DeleteErin, I really like your take on the parable. I didn't think of it that way. I also love your last sentence; it has such a great meaning behind it. Nice job!
DeleteAfter I finished reading "Allegory of the Cave", I thought of the State Farm commercial where the girl believes that they can't put anything on the internet that isn't true, because she read that on the internet. Everyone has their own opinions based off of what they know. The more a person knows, the wider their thoughts can be. While the prisoners were chained below, they thought they knew what the shadows were, but once above, one prisoner understood that their assumptions were wrong. I think that Plato was trying to explain to everyone that no one knows the whole truth about everything, but if everyone shared their thoughts, ideas, and knowledge, we would all be pretty close.
ReplyDeletePlato's "Allegory of the Cave" has taught me that there is always something more behind what I know, or think I know. Right now, I strive to learn new things. In college and beyond, I hope to have that same hunger for knowledge. I never want to stop learning new ideas, and I don't want to stop sharing my thoughts with others to further their knowledge. I believe that the more you learn, the more you grow as a person.
Natalie, I liked how you tied in the State Farm commercial, it made the story more relatable. I also liked how you said that "no one knows the whole truth." I think your right. With so many wide spread opinions and different bias, it is hard to know what is right, and what is wrong. But, if everyone shared their ideas, instead of shunning others, then the truth would not be far away.
DeleteNice job Natalie!
Natalie, I really enjoyed how you mentioned that everyone has their own opinions based off of what they know. That is a great way to put it. Good job!
DeleteI love how you mentioned the State Farm comericial! I didn't even think of that! Well done, Natalie.
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ReplyDeleteI would argue that Plato was trying to teach a lesson about the difficulties of learning. When the man released from his chains stepped out of the cave and into a literally bright new world, he was shocked. At first he could not even open his eyes because the sun was so glaring. Everything was so foreign to him because the only thing he knew were the shadows in the cave behind him. Nothing seemed to make sense for him. As a student, entering a new class with new information is scary too. Much like the freed man, things just do not make sense in the new classroom. Everything that the student once knew before could be either of no use or little use. But it just takes one step. One step forward to say that you are willing enough to learn and figure out new things. The free man learned. He began to worship the sun and could not wait to tell his new findings.
ReplyDeleteThe "Allegory of the Cave" also taught a lesson about perspective. It taught me that people see things differently, and no matter how hard one tries to change someone's opinion about something, they will not listen. Sometimes it is not even their fault because they have not had, like the chained men in the story, the opportunity to be exposed to different environments or have higher education. The "Allegory of the Cave" also taught me about how one cannot undo things. I learned that an idea, once thought of, cannot be undone. No one can unthink or unsee things; the mind does just not have the capabilities. So it makes one thing, is having the opportunity learn more and know more a burden? Or is it a privilege that just comes with some downsides? I think one should always grasp the opportunity to learn more, it is just important to know that some people are not going to respect your new found knowledge. But it is okay, it is just important that you know and that you understand.
When I read the "Allegory of the Cave" I was thinking about applying for colleges. The first thing that struck me was that the most important thing to consider when applying for college is figuring out what you love. My dad told me that before I can even look at colleges, I have to figure out what I am passionate about, what really strikes me and gets me thinking, "I would like to do that." I also learned that it is important to think outside the box. Instead of crawling back into the familiar cave with the shadows, sometimes it is important to take a step into the light and look around for something different. It is easy to be the same, but hard to be different.
Ian, great analysis on Plato's Allegory of the Cave! It was truly a lesson of perspective! Also great job at your game on Friday, you played really well!
DeleteWhile reading "The Allegory in the Cave", the following story popped into my head:
ReplyDeleteA lecturer teaching medicine was giving a classroom observation. He took out a jar of yellow liquid. "This," he explained, "is urine. To be a doctor, you have to be observant of color, smell, sight, and taste."
After saying so, he dipped his finger into the jar and put it into his mouth. His class watched in amazement, most in disgust. But being the good students that they were, the jar was passed, and one by one, they dipped their finger into the jar and put it into their mouths.
After the last student was done, the lecturer shook his head. "If any of you had been observant, you would have noticed that I put my second finger into the jar and my third finger into my mouth."]
This story really put "The Allegory in the Cave" into perspective. In the writings from Plato, he talked about how people learn from their elders until they know different from experience. The previous story with the lesson from the college professor is an experience that I never would have forgotten, and even with not being in the class, reading the story was experience enough.
Most people don't like change. It's just different from what they are used to, making them have to readapt. Most humans would rather live in a world where everything is simple and they feel safe, rather than in an environment where they are uncomfortable and afraid. I am one of those people that doesn't like change. My goal, after reading Plato's version of "The Allegory in the Cave", is to learn and accept change as much as possible. I don't want to be stuck just going through the motions everyday day like the people in the story were stuck watching the shadows on the cave wall.
Jessica, that story was hilarious and fit well into this post. Being observant is all about acknowledging the true objects, not just their shadows. I actually wrote about how people don't like change, too. They get so used to things being the same way every day. Do you remember how angry everyone got when the Church improved the translations, especially the elderly people? They were so used to saying, "And also with you." Now they say, "And with your spirit." After seeing shadows for many years, I would not want to think a different way when I saw the presence of the sun for the first time. I agree that I do not want to "be stuck just going through the motions" either. Nice work, Jessica!
DeleteWhile reading Plato's "Allegory of the Cave," I realized that it related to me. I am young and fairly inexperienced; however, I often have the mindset that I know everything. This is obviously not the case. In school, teachers are just like the prisoners who were unchained and were able to see the sun. They have the ability to share their knowledge with us, the students, waiting in "the dark of the cave."
ReplyDeleteMost people often fear change; it is a part of human nature. No one likes to be told that they are wrong. Seeing things from a different perspective may come as a shock. After years of only seeing shadows, it would be extremely difficult to look at the actual objects, "an unaccustomed sight."
In the future, while attending college, I will learn plenty of new ideas. Some theories I may question, but just because they are different than my views does not mean they are wrong. I need to be willing to explore the information and keep an open-mind. Along the way, I will develop a real knowledge instead of just making assumptions.
The "Allegory of the Cave" taught me an important lesson that I will carry on with me. I have to approach a situation from many different angles. Once I accomplish this, I can become a future leader of society. I will understand different perspectives before closing in on my own. I can share my knowledge with others, and I can continue to learn from them, too. Eventually, I may be able to see the big picture as I learn more and more about the entire world rather than just settling for the shadows. Education is truly the doorway for opportunities, and it is my own decision to unchain myself from the wall. Furthermore, I hold the key to my success. When I set myself free and leave the cave, I can finally stop settling for average.
Sam, I really like how you related the prisoners who saw the light to the teachers. That helped me understand it better. I agree with you about how people are often afraid of change. I for one get nervous when things change, minor or major details. Overall, great job!
DeleteI had to read Plato's Allegory of the Cave several times before completely understanding it. As kids, which we all still are, we become naive to so many things. We believe things that we hear and see. We assume that most often times it is true. In there parable, the prisoners were chained up against the wall and left to believe only their shadows, or to believe what was directly in front of them. These prisoners never got to turn their heads; they missed out on 75% of what was going on. I think this is much like children today. We believe what is right in front of us but never really see the full aspect of the world. In the classroom, I learn best from my fellow classmates. The prisoners needed to communicate to receive a better knowledge of what was going on. Knowledge could have been key to these prisoners experience.
ReplyDeleteIt is scary to think that it is already my junior year. Thinking about colleges and careers scares me but it also excites me. Much like the parable, I think it is important for me to not assume anything as I continue my life. I also know that I need to gain as much knowledge as I can for the best outcomes. Again, I learn best from my peers, so I think it is critical for me to share knowledge but also be willing to accept other people's knowledge. In order for me to have a successful future, I need to really observe life from all different view points, be willing to learn from others, and want to continue and gain knowledge day after day.
I too had to read it several times before I understood it, overall great analysis!
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