Plato’s Allegory of the Cave Provides a Sobering Look at Human Ignorance
You were born into darkness. It’s up to you to bring light into your world.
I. The Allegory of the Cave
There are three individuals who have lived inside of a cave since childhood chained by the feet and neck. Because they are shackled, unable to turn around towards the daylight peeping through the cave entrance, they are restricted to viewing only what’s directly in front of them — a wall. Behind them is both a low wall and a fire that dimly illuminates the cave.
Now imagine that along this low wall, people are carrying all sorts of things that are casting shadows across the wall these prisoners are looking at. Some of these puppeteers are silent and some talk.
Given that all the prisoners perceive are the shadows on the wall and the noises of the people behind them, they discern these shadows to be real, physical entities. As Socrates stated:
“Those who were chained would consider nothing besides the shadows of the artifacts as unhidden”
Thus, they philosophize about these shadows, are fascinated by them, and tie such shadows to the overarching meaning of life…
