Allegory of the Cave Essays

Plato tells about the aliens from the outside world that possesses treasures or gifts. They know numerous names of objects and have an imagination about the life full of sunlight, which is not limited to the darkness of the cave. The prisoners, in their turn, known only the walls and see just the shadows of the objects that are sneaked behind them. The whole tragedy of the situation lies in the fact that they are forced by the circumstances to give names to shadows only. Empiricism considers the shadows only. Empiricism considers the shadows as the substance. A distinction between the sensory impression and the truth is the starting point to discredit the sources of empirical knowledge for Plato. The prisoners can learn about the wall and extend their knowledge by intuitive and logical comprehension of truth only, without empirical evidence.

Now look again and see what will naturally follow it the prisoners are released and disabused of their error. At first, when any of them is liberated and compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck around and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distress him, and he will unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows (Book VII, 2002, p374).

According to Plato, the human who gets new attainments would not seek had primitive reason and never appeals to the past that is covered with darkness. Everything that had mattered is lost because the frames of knowledge are expanded, and the enlightened human’s mind requires more than the dark underworld of his former delusions can give. In fact, such a person would not be able to remain among his fellows because of his reaching a new level of development. The person who understands the true nature of things gains precious experience and becomes estranged from their previous approach to life. Empirical knowledge takes precedence over guesses and assumptions. Plato emphasizes that when coming back in the caves the human that knows the sunlight goes blind for a while. It is equivalent to saying that he cannot accept the old orders once again without embarrassment and confusion. Forever the prisoners will not be able to understand their former friend. This makes the prisoners becomes one of those aliens who pass behind their backs holding treasures and casting shadows. Even his voice turns into an echo. Thus, the Plato argues that the person who has been able to leave the cave and get used to the sunlight is unable to refuse the new life. In other words, the individual that has known the true knowledge is ready to move further and is willing to approach a new level of understanding.