Plato’s Parable of the Cave
Essay title: Plato’s Parable of the Cave
In Platos “Parable of the Cave”, it is questioned whether living in darkness and then being forced into light makes it understandable for these humans to want to go back into their safe environment where
they know “truth.” The idea of having to adjust from darkness to the sun would force them to be reintroduced to their concept of truth. The reasons the prisoner could not be taken directly from darkness to light would include the idea they dont know anything other than shadows, the fear of the blinding effect of the “light” and how a prisoner might adapt to new ideas of truth.
First of all, trying to get someone to see mountains or the sun or even another human for the first time would cause fear and confusion in these freed prisoners. If they had lived their entire lives thinking that the cave was all that existed of the world then seeing a new truth would inspire rejection of these new ideas and retreating back into a safe place. According to Plato, “Will not their eyes be dazzled, and will they not try to get away from the light to something which they are able to behold without blinking?” So, if they never knew truth for what it was, what would prevent them from retreating back into darkness with their chained comrades?
Secondly, if pushed out into the sun would the prisoners not be blinded by the light of a sun they had never known? Plato writes, “suppose further, that they are dragged up a steep and rugged ascent into the presence of the sun himself, will not their sight be darkened with the excess of light?” Perhaps this is indicative of