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Plato's Cave-> Plato's Ladder? -Rachael Gregson



 Ah, the well-known Plato's Cave. I remember reading this in Mashburn's introduction to philosophy class two semesters ago. This second go-round allowed me to notice something I failed to acknowledge then, and that is that Plato not only laid out different ways of thinking, he also laid out different ways of life. To better understand this point, picture someone being asked to define kindness in each of these stages. In the beginning stage, which would be imagination, they may associate kindness with what it seems like rather than what it actually is supposed to be. Something that appears kind may might as well be kind. This all ends at thought, the last stage, which is when someone can define kindness by deciphering between what what is kind and what is actually not kindness through a very logical, analytic process where 'looks' can be not be trusted and ran with. 

Plato's point is that we can never instantly appear at the thought stage. All of the stages are interconnected, and we must educate ourselves through all of them to be considered truly knowledgeable in an area. The way I grasp it is that it is sort of like a ladder. We must step on each rung to make it to the top. The inside of the cave represents the bottom, our starting point, whereas the outside of the cave represents our ending point of knowledge and awareness. The purpose of life according to Plato is to never settle or be satisfied for what's inside the cave, but to slowly migrate out of our comfortability and into something that hurts (but in a good way). 

I commented on posts by Jamie and Ian.

Comments

  1. Caroline TuckerOctober 5, 2020 at 9:06 PM

    The way you presented the cave and how the intention is to continue out of the cave and into the new no matter how much it hurts reminds me of growing pains. Sometimes it takes pain to learn the most important things. Like learning about the love of family. The people who value family most have most likely witnessed or experienced a loss of a family member or a fallout in the family.

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  2. Jessef LeslieOctober 5, 2020 at 9:38 PM

    I agree but all ladders have an end; Plato's idea of good and knowledge is a process that has no end. It nonetheless is a great comparison! Also, the people inside of the cave are locked in place, they have no way of getting out of the cave in the first place, which prohibits the ideal: going into the light. Going back into the cave also hurts though, and might even be more difficult and painful than leaving it, so is that what Plato is telling us to do as well?

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