Intro to Plato’s “Allegory of the cave” Mountain Pointe High School
Plato 428-348 BC Socrates student Wealthy Family Started out with a career in politics, but left when he realized politicians weren’t truthful (even then!) Started his own university Was all about “ideas” as truth Believed that the physical world was misleading Constant struggle for humans is discovering the reality of the world while balancing what you know to be true, and what the physical world shows you to be true (faith, ethics, morals, philosophy)
What is Philosophy? The word means “love of wisdom” Live your life according to ideas and assumptions about what the world is like—that is your philosophy “The unexamined life is not worth living” –Socrates 400 BC “Know Yourself” Plato 387 BC
What is the difference between Knowledge and wisdom? Where do we obtain both?
Plato’s Tripartite Soul
Allegory An allegory is a form of extended metaphor, in which objects, persons, and actions in a narrative, are equated with meanings that lie outside the narrative itself. The underlying meaning has moral, social, religious, or political significance, and characters are often personifications of abstract ideas as charity, greed, or envy. Thus an allegory is a story with two meanings: literal and symbolic. Wizard of Oz, Chronicles of Narinia, Animal Farm, Lord of the Flies
Read “The Allegory of the Cave” by Plato Be sure to highlight any words you don’t understand; star/underline parts you think are important.
Sketch the cave as you imagine it
Plato’s Cave
What do you see here?
…and here?
And here?
What about this one?
And this one…
Last one…
Ding, Ding, Ding! We have a winner! Enlightenment is when the light bulb finally goes off! It feels like finally “seeing” the optical illusions The veil of confusion/darkness has been lifted
Modern References Cave Video Cypher Matrix The Truman Show Plato/Matrix The Shadows of Life Comic
“Cave” Moments Symbolic cave/shackles? Road to enlightenment? First exposure to “light”? Consequences-For better or worse? The Count of Monte Cristo… Genesis… Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth… To Kill a Mockingbird… Toy Story: Personal Cave moments: “get” a math problem, parents divorce, friend betrays/boyfriend cheats, learn a concept, find love, religious enlightenment, realize the importance of budgeting/planning/educations, etc.
BUZZ: "Woody you're not a collector's item; you're a child's plaything BUZZ: "Woody you're not a collector's item; you're a child's plaything. You are A TOY!” WOODY: "For how much longer? One more rip, and Andy's done with me. And what do I do then, Buzz? Huh? You tell me.” BUZZ: "Somewhere in that pad of stuffing is a toy who taught me that life's only worth living if you're being loved by a kid. And I traveled all this way to rescue that toy because I believed him.” Buzz Lightyear, as he reminds Woody who he truly is
Fun with Claymation! www.youtube.com/watch?v=69F7GhASOdM