Essay About Allegory Of The Caveð And Real World

The Allegory of the Caveððžðð in Different Perspectives
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ÐЎЧThe Allegory of the CaveÐÐŽÐЁ in Different Perspectives
ÐЎЧThe Allegory of the Cave,ÐÐŽÐЁ written by Plato, is an interpretation of a
conversation between Socrates, PlatoÐЎЦs mentor, and Glaucon, one of Socrates
students. ÐЎЧThe Allegory of the CaveÐÐŽÐЁ can be interpreted several different ways.
Imagine men in a cave chained up by their necks and legs, forcing them to only
look forward at a wall. An opening behind them lets the light in. Above the
burning fire and chains, there is a road. Have these chained men ever seen
anything else of themselves or others beyond the caveÐЎЦs shadows made by the
fire? Some people would say the truth is only perceived by the shadows seen
on the walls of the cave. What if one of these menÐЎЦs chains were taken off and
he was free to leave? Would the man feel pain when seeing the real world?
Would he be confused on believing what is real? Would it make a difference if
the chained man was briefly educated about what he was going to see first?
Perhaps he would understand and not be confused about what is real. Will the
man think what he saw before was much more real than what he sees now?
Questions like these will bring different opinions and meaning to ÐЎЧThe Allegory of
the Cave.ÐÐŽÐЁ Whose interpretation, if any, is correct when explaining the meaning
of ÐЎЧThe Allegory of the CaveÐÐŽÐЁ? Does it have mathematical meaning, explain a
vision of the whole world, or is it just a comparison to the field of social work? I
personally feel that ÐЎЧThe Allegory of the CaveÐÐŽÐЁ is a great explanation of how
people in the world live. People are just like the men chained inside the cave,
people only know and believe what he or she might have seen. Outside of the
cave is the world around us. People are very narrow minded beings, a persons
perception on life is only from their own experiences. When the chained men
are let free is when people finally realize what is going on in the world and not
just what is around them.
ÐЎЧThe Allegory of the CaveÐÐŽÐЁ can be interpreted with different meanings,
such as Michael OÐЎЦLearyÐЎЦs theory of the cave being a place away from the world.
Michael OÐЎЦLeary believes ÐЎЧThe Allegory of the CaveÐÐŽÐЁ is PlatoÐЎЦs explanation of the
education of the soul towards enlightenment. He sees it as what happens when
someone is educated to the level of a philosopher (OÐЎЦLeary). OÐЎЦLeary also
explains that Plato contends that the men must ÐЎЧgo back into the caveÐÐŽÐЁ or return
to everyday world of politics, greed, and power struggles. ÐЎЧThe Allegory of the
CaveÐÐŽÐЁ also attacks people who rely upon, or are slaves to, their senses. The
chains that bind the prisoners are the senses (OÐЎЦLeary). Even though OÐЎЦLeary
has a reasonable explanation as to why he believes what he does, which
includes solid evidence, his interpretation may not necessarily be correct. The
shadows might not be what people rely on as the truth. The cave might not be
an interpretation of a personsÐЎЦ sheltered life from the true reality. Michael
OÐЎЦLeary might be correct about the meaning, but at the same time Plato could be
trying to explain something else.
ÐЎЧThe Allegory of the CaveÐÐŽÐЁ can be also interpreted by using metaphorical
imagery. Socrates, in Book VII of The Republic just after the allegory, stated
that the cave was our world and the fire was our sun (Jerry H. Gill 1). Major
assumptions inherited within the metaphorical imagery were made by Plato.
Plato also says that the ÐЎЧpath of the prisoners was manÐЎЦs souls ascent to
knowledge or enlightenmentÐÐŽÐЁ (OÐЎЦLeary). Plato helped introduce our world of
sight with an intellectual world of opinion. A personsÐЎЦ world of sight allows a
person to ÐЎЧseeÐÐŽÐЁ things that are not real, such as a perfect circle. Plato calls this
higher understanding of the world ÐЎЧabstract realityÐÐŽÐЁ or the intelligible world
(OÐЎЦLeary). He compares this abstract reality with the knowledge that comes from
reasoning and final understanding (OÐЎЦLeary). Abstract reality is a reasonable
explanation on PlatoÐЎЦs ÐЎЧThe Allegory of the CaveÐÐŽÐЁ. Using