The myth of the cave of Plato. Hidden and common sense

Ancient Greece gave the world sages, whose teachings laid the foundations of modern science. Their works and thoughts do not lose their significance for millennia. Such works include the "Myth of the Cave" by Plato, whose analysis, a summary and accepted interpretations are presented in the article.

About Plato

Plato is a philosopher of ancient Greece, whose works are studied and inspire many followers. He was born in Athens, in a family whose roots came from ancient kings.

Plato received a full education at that time and began to write poetry. Acquaintance with Socrates and their friendship became an incentive to delve into philosophy. In Athens, he will justify his school, where he will transfer knowledge to many worthy students.

The works of Plato are framed in a non-standard form of dialogues, most of which are conventionally conducted with Socrates.

Philosophical fundamentals are not set out in a clear order, in their dialogues they pass like a system of ideas. The "myth of the cave" of Plato is one of his well-known allegorical grounds for the theories of human society and belief in higher powers.

"The myth of the cave" of Plato. Summary

The "myth of the cave" of Plato is his allegory, which the philosopher uses to explain his theories. We can find it in the work "The State", in the seventh chapter. "The myth of the cave" of Plato briefly look below.

The beginning of a myth is a description of the place of action: "an underground dwelling, like a cave". There are people in strong fetters that do not allow them to turn to the light or look around. These people only see what is right in front of them. They are faced by the fire and the light that it gives. Nearby is a wall behind which other, free people carry different things: statues, household items and luxury. People who are prisoners of the cave, see not the objects themselves, but only their shadows. They look at them, give names, but their real appearance, color, the very essence of the objects are inaccessible to them. Similarly, the sounds that they can hear, imprisoned people mistakenly attributed to the shadows. They do not see the true objects, but only shadows and their perception of them.

"The myth of the cave." Culmination

The "myth of the cave" of Plato reveals his ideas quite dynamically and smoothly.

Further, Plato, in his dialogue with the Main Committee, develops the story in this way: he guides the reader to the idea of how the prisoner behaves if he is released and allowed to look at things whose shadows he saw. The interlocutor of Plato says that it would be excruciatingly painful for the former prisoner, here "a habit" is needed.

Both Plato and the Chief Physician recognize the high probability that an released prisoner of a cave will be able to understand and accept the essence of these objects, leaving their shadows as an erroneous perception. But what happens if the prisoner returns? Plato and Glavcon come to the idea that, having returned to the cave, the exempted will try to open his eyes to his companions. Will it be accepted and understood by them? Unfortunately, no, he will be funny and insane for them until his eyes get used to the darkness and the shadow again will not step into the place of real outlines. Moreover, his encircled environment will believe that his freedom and being outside the cave have made him unhealthy and that they themselves should not strive for liberation.

Thus, Plato explains the desire for a higher idea by the individual and the attitude of society towards this aspiration.

"The myth of the cave" of Plato. The meaning is explicit and hidden

Myth, which is not even a single work, became the property of both philosophy and many other scientific currents, each of which found its hidden meanings for itself. Here are the most substantiated and explicit aspects of the meaning of myth from the point of view of man:

• Sensuality and supersensitivity. Shadows are visible to the senses, voices are heard by them. But it is necessary to make efforts to understand the essence of things. It is supersensibility that is the application of mental effort;
• The state as fetters, liberation and return (this aspect has many variations and sub-themes);
• Visibility and impression. A person sees a shadow, but does not see an object. His impressions are projected onto the shadow, so the response replaces the concept itself;
• A way of life of the person. Only the senses are restricted to a limited, ascetic being. Mental efforts to assess what they saw is a highly sensitive perception, a philosophical assessment.

Analysis of the myth

There are works that can be talked about for a long time, and they will give no less for reflection. This is the "myth of the cave" of Plato. It has many images and ideas, which have been studied by philosophers around the world for thousands of years already.

Let us consider the significance of the image of the cave:

• Limitation. The cave restricts the appearance of a person, his cogitative activity. Cave as a framework for human cognition. If its prisoner goes beyond the boundaries, the foundations inside them do not change and he is not accepted back. The cave itself protects itself from destruction. If people inside of her had ever seen sunlight, they would have given everything to get out of the darkness. But the cave closes this light from them, and the lonely prophets have no faith.
• The cave is like a state. A controversial idea. Plato himself never put any emphasis on such a perception of his images. But perhaps he feared for his school and his students. Such ideas, declared publicly, could seriously harm him. Therefore, Plato created the "State", "The myth of the cave" by placing it in this work.

Finally

The "myth of the cave" of Plato is his way in one fragment to express the basic ideas of the perception of the world, the state and the place of man in it. Everyone can interpret his ideas in the way that his worldview and worldview dictates, hence the value of this nugget of world philosophy will not diminish.