Plato's Republic: Analysis of the Allegory of the Cave

Plato's Republic: Chapter VII - Allegory of the Cave

I. The Cave: Knowledge of the material world. Prisoner's release and passage from "eikasía" to "pistis."

II. Rise and Progressive Knowledge: "Dianoia" - the world outside the cave: the intelligible world. "Noesis" or knowledge of the Good: the cause of all that exists.

III. Happiness of the Released Prisoner: Attained through wisdom. Compassion for those who remain prisoners of ignorance, unwilling to leave the cave.

IV. The Danger of Enlightenment: The enlightened one knows that attempts to free others and lead them to truth would be met with ridicule and potentially death.

V. First Interpretation of Plato's Allegory:

• Section One: The sensible world view = the cave. The fire in the cave = the sunlight of the soul in the sensible world. Ascent outside the cave = ascent to the intelligible world. Vision of beings outside the cave = vision of ideas.
• Section Two: Ultimate knowledge is reached with difficulty, viewing the sun of reality outside the cave = vision of the soul of the idea of Good. The idea of Good: the cause of all good. Like the sun in the sensible world, it allows us to perceive light. It is the supreme idea of the intelligible world, illuminating the soul and enabling true knowledge, truth, and intelligence. Knowledge to act correctly in moral and political matters. (Knowing the idea of good is knowing why everything is as it is, the best way it can be. Essential for future rulers.)
• Section Three: It is not surprising that the liberated soul, having known the idea of Good, does not want to return to the cave. Also, their return will not improve the political or moral state of the prisoners (citizens), as they will ridicule the enlightened one who speaks of justice itself, not its shadows. (Like Socrates, who was ridiculed and killed for seeking a universal definition of justice.) Plato says it is ridiculous to laugh at souls moving from light to dark, and those moving from darkness to light deserve pity.

(Plato considers it useless and dangerous to participate in politics to remedy the ignorance of his fellows. He proposes an educational system, implemented by a philosopher king, to ensure the formation of perfect rulers and their acceptance by the governed.)

VI. True Education: Does not consist in the transmission of knowledge, but in the proper orientation of the innate ability of the soul to rise from the concrete to the universal, from the apparent to the real. Our ideal future leaders will be those who have successfully completed the educational process and will not be allowed to break away from the subsequent task of government, because now the governed will be prepared to accept its hegemony.