Allegory of the Cave in Platos Book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Allegory of the Cave in Platos Book - Essay Example One question that thinkers need to answer in the allegory of the cave is; who is the liberator? The fact that this allegory had a symbolic meaning to the manner in which true knowledge is achieved, gives room for many thinkers to deduce that the Liberator is the philosopher. In fact, as one may realize, Socrates advised on the need for those who have seen light to go back and pass the very light to those in the darkness. This would mean, philosophers, taking responsibility in passing true knowledge to those who are yet to receive knowledge. First, Socrates claimed that the prisoners were in a locked cave, chained from birth and unable to move their bodies and could only stare straight at the wall of the cave. This situation would portray human being in the world of the unknown. Moreover, Socrates believed that a person had an inner knowledge that only needed to be shaped, rather than being taught by the teachers. That would be symbolic to the prisoner who only needed a springboard to let him make the first movement towards enlightenment. Secondly, the prisoners in the cave are portrayed as only able to see the shadows of real visible things (Bloom, 1991). This phrase would symbolize human being in the sense where they lack true knowledge of real things that exist. In such circumstances, people would reason under conditions of the depravity of knowledge and imagine that they know everything, yet the true knowledge is hidden from them. Nevertheless, when either the internal force or the external force triggers the already existing knowledge, they would come to realize the true knowledge and live in it. Some of the factors may prevent one from perceiving reality. One is the fear to accept the reality. Here, one may realize that most people would not like to accept the change and cope with it.