Is Plato's Cave a Good Analogy?

Have you read about Plato's Cave Analogy? If not it maybe worthy to learn about, you see, Plato's Cave Concept is a good analogy of life in my opinion. It is similar to the concept of VR-Virtual Reality, The Ten Mirror Theory, or the projection concept; Life is all a TV movie theory.

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We all know the story of the three blind men describing an elephant. All these help us understand that we should know how little we know. We have seen Hollywood take this whole thing to the next step and offer some what ifs worthy of thought as well such as the Movie the Matrix or the Tom Cruise Movie; Vanilla Sky. Remember the Truman Show -fake town, fake everything all on TV.

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Imagine going beyond that and seeing the truth. That would be excellent and it is therefore worthy to discuss Plato's Cave Analogy. A virtual reality life simulator could be a greater teacher for mankind or whatever we are, came from or are going to. For some life is a competitive event and until they see otherwise, they play it as a participant and thus play it to the best of there ability.

Think of a Bee or Insect and how it sees things with different sensory input. Perception is an interesting thing to a Bat, Dolphin, squid, etc. It maybe worthy to have much thought on this subject. Plato had many interesting things to say really. I am most comfortable with nearly all of his thoughts. But would like to challenge him on others. Of course having these works now are good as one can add onto his thoughts. Perhaps you will consider this in 2006 and expand your horizons.

Is Plato's Cave a Good Analogy?

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Plato's Cave

In the book The Republic, Plato tells the story of prisoners of war that were held captive in a cave for such a long period of time, they could not remember their lives before their captivity. These men were forced to face the back of the cave wall for decades, while a fire burned behind them for illumination. The only objects that the prisoners could ever see were the cave wall, their own shadows and the shadows of the beasts guarding them. This was both terrifying and paralyzing for the men.

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One day, one of the men found the courage to look back at the fire and the beast guarding them. What he found were ordinary men guarding over them. The guards had cut-outs of monsters and projected the shadows to the back of the cave where the prisoners were held. This was the easiest and most effective way for the guards to control the prisoners.

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The knowing prisoner found an opportunity to escape the cave and did so as soon as he could. When the free man stepped out the cave, he could not believe his eyes. The sun, that he now remembered, was much brighter than the cave fire. He smelled the flowers, remembering their scent from his youth. The free man watched as people went about their daily lives, remembering his life before captivity.

The free man was overwhelmed with the joy of remembering his former life, his real life. The free man wanted to free his fellow prisoners as soon as he could and planned his quest. The next day at an opportune time the free man made his way back to the cave. When he found the guards away from their posts, the free man sprang into action. Running to his fellow prisoners and telling them of everything he discovered to be real, both inside and outside the cave. He told his friends of the cut-out monsters that terrified them. About the sun outside the cave that was much brighter than the fire that illuminated the cave. The free man told his friends about all the wonderful things he had discovered again in his new found freedom.

After hearing everything the free man had to say, the prisoners showed disbelief, mockery, and hatred toward the free man. They thought, how could this man know better than they did? How dare the man pretend to know more than they did.

The free man left the prisoners in the cave and walked back out into his freedom.

In today's world, we are allowed to walk anywhere we want to inside the cave, its encouraged. The cut-out monsters are projected on every wall, floor and ceiling as well. Our scary shadows come from the same place that lights our cave. TV, Radio, Internet, Newspaper etc.. Once we free ourselves from the Maya (Illusion) we can walk back outside the cave and remember who we truly are, again. The first step for the free man was to recognize the Maya. The second step was to understand who he was not. The third step was to understand who he was, to "Know Thyself."

As far as us going back into the cave to save our fellow prisoners...the Illusion is slowly fading away. Many will cling onto, "the good old days." Cling onto the projections of shadows that were on their cave walls. Others will finally leave the cave and find a sun brighter than the cave fire and a SELF greater than they could have imagined.

Plato's Cave

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Interpreting Plato's Cave

In Plato's Allegory, prisoners are chained, completely motionless in a cave, and shadows of puppets are cast on the walls. The prisoners are unaware of the actual cause of the shadows and believe the shadows are unique, independent entities. But one of the prisoners is let free and discovers the true source of the shadows. He ventures out of the cave and into the world above where he is confronted with nature and the sun. Thereafter, he is compelled to return to the cave and share what he has learned. His eyesight must readapt to the darkness, so initially the other prisoners assume the light has ruined his vision; he appears incompetent, and his knowledge of a considerably more accurate reality will seem ridiculous.

Plato's cave is a profound allegory with many interpretations, and the following is only what I believe it may represent.

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Plato uses the shadows on the wall to illustrate the limits of human knowledge. The depths of the cave represent a realm of less intelligence and understanding. He is implying that our perceptions deceive us, and he wants us to reconsider what we think we know and then strive for truth. The prisoner was certain there was no other world beyond that of the cave, but his rendezvous above ground altered his perceptions. He realizes yet another aspect of reality and a higher state of being.

It is likely that the blinding sun represents the source of life, and the all-knowing heavenly bodies-an aspect of reality and knowledge unknown to humans.

The enlightened prisoner does not want to return to a world that is less real, or to a realm of less intelligence. His vision is impaired from the light when he returns to the cave below, which seems to imply that the enlightened appear ridiculous to the fool, and the fool is reluctant to become enlightened because he fears what he does not know. It might also suggest that knowledge is a burden, but nonetheless sacred and indispensable. Furthermore, it is the duty of those enlightened to share their knowledge, regardless of the consequences; incidentally, that is what got Socrates killed.

Interpreting Plato's Cave

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