Allegory of the Cave by Plato
In “Plato’s caves” he gives a description of a universe where prisoners are subject to chains in a cave. The shadows being casted on the wall brings the prisoners to a reality that they are imprisoned. At first Plato seems to be blinded by the penetration of diffused sunlight and he’s apprehensive about the realities of the new world. Plato had a perception that the shadows in the cave were real but after spending some time in this world, he comes into a realization that his whole existence had been ruled by other people (Ferguson 1922).
We seem to be asking ourselves questions such as: Centuries later in our modern world does Plato’s Allegory apply to our daily lives today? Are we subjects of control by other people? Do we live in a reality cave where
...everything is constructed by someone else? Is our modern world a little bit more transparent than the new world in the cave? Is Plato’s Allegory of caves outdated or is it still trending? Has technology for instant the internet, Education of the public and modernized means of transport metaphorically slain the puppeteer? Let’s find out. Plato’s allegory still applies in our reality world today, we can see this through the media, our today’s government, technology and even our religion somehow has an impact in our lives today. In essence there is always that someone who will always be above us especially when in authority, for example the police, military, army to mention a few.
These people always have in mind that they can rule us and control our lives, we can compare this to Plato’s allegor
where Plato reveals that his whole existence is controlled by someone else. The government in our modern world seems to be in control over everything for example it has control over the military/army this therefore gives them the ability to control us and our minds. The Police are the chains that hold us against the walls of the cave while the mass media such as advertisements are the shadows casted on the wall for instant the mass media uses false advertisement to convey wrong information and once we live the caves shadows and finally come to the real world we reach the destination of our lives enlightenment.
After a long realization of how the world is we want to speak out and tell everyone what’s real and what’s not and that it’s just the shadows of what we were made to believe by others we can see this the way Plato is speaking out his realities. People still don’t want to believe what’s actually outside the cave the reality behind the walls they think it’s absurd it’s like finding out that God our creator never existed and all what we believed was a false reality a shadow made by someone else for us to believe. In short the Allegory of caves does indeed apply to our world today.
Plato’s Apology
Plato’s apology is a speech version issued by Socrates in defense during 388Bc against the charges in which he was accused of corruption and treason (he didn’t recognize the gods of the states). An apology is a statement given when an individual speaks in defense of a particular action. Plato’s Apology is always considered to be one of
Plato’s fine works, it consist of a dialogue which depicts Socrates death. It begins with a saying from Socrates that he does not know if the men of Athens have been persuaded by his accusers. His first statement is very crucial to his entire speech’s theme.
Socrates seems to be one of the individuals whom all philosophical individuals can say has shaped the cultural and development of the world of history today, without him history would have a different definition or would have been profoundly different. According to our comparison between our modern understand of apology and Socrates speech, his speech is by no way an apology (West and Platon 1979). During the trial Socrates uses a very plain and controversial manner in which he further explains himself and says that he does not have experience or an understanding of the law courts so he speaks in a manner which he’s accustomed to.
Socrates goes further and explains himself why he does not recognize the gods of Athens and it’s because he had received a prophecy from the oracle in Delphi which said that he is the wisest man of all. On top of that Socrates being aware of his ignorance he further concludes that even if he is the wisest of all men he knows nothing.
Socrates is put into an interrogation with meletus the man who brought him before the jury but their conversation seems to be poor because instead of arriving at the truth it just seems to embarrass meletus. Socrates portrays some parodies when he’s found guilty and asked by the jury to propose a penalty. He jokingly gives a suggestion that if he
were to get what he wanted he should be given a great meal for his services to the state. Back to the serious business Socrates refuses to be prisoned and exiled instead he asks to pay off a fine. The jury rejects his offer and gives him a death sentence, in return Socrates accepts his punishment and then he give a statement that it’s the will of the gods, and he further goes ahead and warns those who voted against him.
Conclusion
Plato seems to be one of the most crucial and remembered people in our history today. In his allegory of caves he tell us how human beings are subject to authority and how our lives are controlled by someone else we can still see this in our modern world where we are still subjects to bondage of slavery. Additionally in Plato’s apology seems to be a series of events where Socrates uses this apology as a statement of defense he is charged with treason and presented before the jury who further puts him to a death sentence.
References
- Ferguson, A. S. (1922). Plato's Simile of Light (continued). Part II. The Allegory of the Cave. The Classical Quarterly, 16(01), 15-28.
- West, T. G., & Platon. (1979). Plato's Apology of Socrates: an interpretation, with a new translation (p. 66). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
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