Socrates Allegory of the Cave - Assignment Example

According to Plato, Philosophical knowledge is categorized into different levels or grades broadly, into which an individual may ascend or descend according to circumstantial advantage or disadvantage. In broadest terms, Plato’s allegory not only reveals how the cave is analogous with the physical world, but also how ultimately elements of philosophy progressively develop into the best grade of knowledge with the ability, according to Plato, to form the best individuals suitably refined by this knowledge to occupy and perform their duties in different levels of society according to their talents.

1. What was said in detail, and how?
Using the allegory of the cave, Plato sets out to explain a kind of ascent into knowledge, where an individual enters and emerges from the lowest and illusory grade of knowledge, and climbs to the level of the best knowledge of understanding reality. Thus the cave and all it represents are analogous to the physical world where an individual’s earlier judgments are seen to be mostly superficial by experience. However by and large, through his interaction with science and the realities of how things work, the body of knowledge gained becomes a prerequisite of improving and making better earlier impressions. This progressively leads to higher knowledge and the discovery of eternal ideas and forms like Justice, Truth, and Beauty which help in creating essential structures and basis for citizen’s capacity building in a state.

2. Is what was said true, in whole or part?
What was said is true in part.
3. What of it?

Ascending to a higher grade of knowledge is important and will equip an individual with a greater power of understanding and thus a refined capacity to make the best of any given situation. But certain aspects and problems require specific and specialized attention, for instance, a critically ill patient. Besides leadership require certain individual characteristics and qualities that the knowledge of philosophy alone may not bequeath an individual. Read More