From the Allegory of the Cave to the Television Drama “Fallout”
What Plato Can Teach Us
The Greek philosopher Plato teaches us that “we are all prisoners of illusions.” In one of the most important and famous passages of his work in the entire history of Western philosophy, he adds that:
“Only philosophy can aid us in our liberation.”
Naturally, I am referring to the allegory of the Cave, found within the central section of one of Plato’s most crucial dialogues, the Republic. This text was titled Politeia in Greek, a term that means “state” or “constitution” rather than “republic”. It has been mistakenly translated into modern languages from the Latin title “Res Publica,” which actually means “State” in that language.
In this pivotal passage, Socrates (not the historical Socrates, but the character who serves as Plato’s mouthpiece) engages in dialogue with Glaucon, one of Plato’s brothers (a character who actually existed; Plato was a master at blending reality and fiction in his dialogues).
The discourse revolves around the possibility of knowledge, with the character Socrates, at the very beginning of Book VII of Politeia, narrating a peculiar story of caves and men. This narrative is destined to become one of the most famous philosophical texts in…
