The Republic (book VII) Allegory of the Cave by Plato

The Republic or (book VII)  is the most famous story in Plato's book. Socrates is talking to a young follower of his name Glaucon, and is telling him this fable to illustrate what its like to be a philosopher. In this story there is a cave where in theres a prisoner's inside the cave and they are chained in their neck and those prisoners's are the philosophers. Theory of knowledge means how we can find or know the thruth. To those people inside the cave the only thing that make them know the reality is when what they see in the shadow inside the cave. For Plato knowledge is just a matter of memory and reminisce,and also knowledge is just a matter of remembering for Plato. From the beginning Plato explained his position in his allegory stating to “take…education and ignorance as a picture of the condition of human nature”. The entire article is in a dialogue, which makes the lessons taught throughout the text more like a story. The picture of human beings being imprisoned in a cave, oblivious to the “above” world, and living the real life was an interesting metaphor to me. I believe, reality based on what is visually interpreted or what is “normally” believed is not always the truth. When one of the prisoners escaped from the darkness of the cave, “he saw more rightly, being a bit nearer reality”. After adjusting he saw the better light and loved the new way of life, but after a while he simply must go back to enlighten the others in the cave. This is certainly a reasonable perspective on knowledge, but I wonder what is the point in knowing the truth when he must return back to the unjust way of life? Would a person want to be tortured in knowing they could live a better life in order to know the truth? Some say ignorance is bliss, but I am contemplative whether I rather know reality, or simply stay content with what I have to live with.  People may never know if they are living in lies, or they might always be questioning the truth, even if truth is right in front of them. I believe the object in life is not always seeking the truth. One would go crazy, questioning what is closer to the light of reality or what are just shadows in a dark cave of oblivion. However, we both agree education shapes our fate, our society, and gives people a meaning to their existence by “putting sight into blind eyes”. Plato bring up an excellent and very important claim in the character of leaders when you mention that they should poses wisdom and value education and the power of knowledge. Someone like the escaped cave prisoner, who has seen glimpses of “realities behind just and beautiful and good things” who has experience and the capability to see past the “darkness” and not be confined by the walls of incapacity, would only be the only succesful leader.
I firmly agree with the idea of Plato, that we should never rely to our senses, instead in our rationality, because rationality is the tools for us to survive... that's all.....

Sarah Jane Q. Natividad

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