Plato's Allegory of the Cave
Plato is considered one of the most influential philosophers of all time, which is why we will be analyzing “Plato’s Allegory of the Cave”. In this thought experiment, Plato recites a story where a group of men are imprisoned since birth to an underground cave; the conditions of this cave are such that the men are chained down and therefore cannot move, being forced to stare at nothing but the wall in front of them. From behind, there is an orchestrated attempt by the prison guards, using props and a bonfire, to cast shadows on the wall they’re staring at. The shadow-like objects being presented are the prisoners’ only idea of reality and they know nothing else. The tale continues where one of the prisoners is unshackled and released from the cave. Upon exiting the dark space, he is overwhelmed by the intensity of light outside and almost blinded by this otherworldly reality. It takes some time to adjust to this new experience and at times the freed man wishes...