Plato's Analogy of the Cave

What does the word rationalist mean?

Using reason and logic to gain knowledge

What does the word empiricist mean?

Using the senses to gain knowledge

Does Plato use a Rationalist or Empiricist approach?

Rationalist

Why is Plato a rationalist?

He believes the physical world is not reliable and does not use senses to determine things

Which world is real to Plato?

The world of the forms but we cannot sense this

Plato was also a dualist. What does this mean?

He believes in the pairs of the physical world and the world of the forms, the body and soul being what humans are made of

What is an allegory?

Story representing something else

What was Plato’s allegory used to teach people about?

The world of the forms

What does the fire represent in Plato’s allegory of the cave?

The government adding deception

What does the outside of the cave represent in Plato’s allegory of the cave?

The physical world

What do the prisoners represent in Plato’s allegory of the cave?

Humans

What did the shadows on the wall that the prisoners could see represent?

Objects in the world that we see

What does the person who is free represent in Plato’s cave analogy?

Being enlightened and seeing thing objects around us are not what they seem

What are 3 strengths of Plato’s analogy of the cave?

• Encourages people to question reality

• Aspects of the story make sense and align with the current world

• Our senses can deceive us

What are 3 weaknesses of Plato’s analogy of the cave?

• Practically makes no difference to our lives

• People feel comfortable in their ignorance

• We don’t need the forms to explain objects/ concepts