10 Questions
What is the purpose of the low wall behind which people walk in the cave?
To prevent the prisoners from seeing the people walking behind them
What do the prisoners believe is the source of the sounds they hear?
The shadows on the cave wall
Why does the freed prisoner initially disbelieve what he is seeing when he is shown the 'real' world?
Because his eyes are hurt by the light
What do the prisoners consider to be their reality?
The shadows on the cave wall
What does the freed prisoner want to do when he is shown the 'real' world?
Run back to the cave and the familiar shadows
What is the initial reaction of the prisoner when he is dragged out of the cave and into the sunlight?
He is angry and in pain, and his eyes are overwhelmed by the light of the sun.
What is the first thing the prisoner is able to see when his eyes begin to adjust to the sunlight?
Shadows
What is the reason the prisoners remaining in the cave would not want to undertake a similar journey to the freed prisoner?
They think the journey out of the cave had harmed the freed prisoner and do not want to suffer the same fate.
What is the ultimate goal of the freed prisoner in relation to the other prisoners remaining in the cave?
To try to bring them out of the cave and into the sunlight.
What happens to the freed prisoner's eyes when he returns to the cave?
They are blind, just as they were when he was first exposed to the sun.
Study Notes
The Cave Allegory
- Prisoners in a cave are chained to face the wall, unable to see anything else, and have been in this state since childhood.
- Behind the prisoners, a fire is burning, and people walk along a raised walkway, carrying objects or puppets that cast shadows on the wall.
- The prisoners believe the shadows are reality, as they have never seen anything else.
Departure from the Cave
- A freed prisoner is initially unable to see the objects casting the shadows due to the brightness of the fire.
- The freed prisoner would be reluctant to believe that the shadows are not reality, and would prefer to return to the familiar shadows.
- The freed prisoner would experience pain and discomfort when exposed to the light of the fire.
Ascent to the Surface
- The freed prisoner is forced to ascend to the surface, where they are initially blinded by the sunlight.
- The prisoner's eyes gradually adjust to the light, allowing them to see shadows, reflections, and eventually the people and things themselves.
- The prisoner is eventually able to look directly at the sun and reason about it.
Return to the Cave
- The freed prisoner returns to the cave, attempting to enlighten the remaining prisoners.
- The freed prisoner is blinded again upon returning to the cave, as their eyes are no longer accustomed to the darkness.
- The remaining prisoners infer that the journey out of the cave had harmed the freed prisoner, and would therefore resist any attempts to free them.
- The prisoners would even kill anyone who tried to drag them out of the cave.
A philosophical thought experiment where prisoners perceive shadows as reality, and one prisoner's journey to enlightenment. Explore the themes of perception, reality, and knowledge.
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