Plato “The Allegory of the Cave” Allegorical Application to Macbeth

Lesson Objectives Analyze Plato’s allegory of “The Cave” Compare and contrast “The Cave” with another allegory: LOTF Explain why it would be pretentious to buy the mug on the first slide for yourself

Activate Prior Knowledge: Discuss Who is Plato? Have you heard of him? Where in Europe is he from? What other famous Europeans did he know and interact with?

Socrates: 469 - 399 B. C. Plato: 427 - 347 B. C Socrates: 469 - 399 B.C. Plato: 427 - 347 B.C. (Student of Socrates) Aristotle: 384 B.C. – 322 B.C. (attended Plato’s academy from 18 years)

Who is Plato? The Philosophical Foundation of Western Thought Born 427 B.C.(ish); died 347 B.C. Son of wealthy aristocrat Called "Plato" because of his broad shoulders; was a champion wrestler Student of Socrates during late teens and 20s (was 28 when Socrates was put to death) Socrates' death led to Plato's distrust of democracy

In Egypt, met Pythagoras and observed their schools Who is Plato? NBD: Just … The Philosophical Foundation of Western Thought After Socrates' death, traveled for 12 years in Egypt, Italy, perhaps India In Egypt, met Pythagoras and observed their schools Returned to Athens in 387 B.C., ready to write and teach Founded The Academy, the first formal university in the Western world

The Academy (Ancient Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια) was founded by Plato in ca The Academy (Ancient Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια) was founded by Plato in ca. 387 BC in Athens. Aristotle studied there for twenty years (367 BC – 347 BC) before founding his own school, the Lyceum. Wall painting at the Vatican Museum, Rome

How do people today know about Plato and his ideas? 36 “Dialogues” and 12 letters The Republic is a part of a dialogue and The Cave is a part of The Republic

Platonic Philosophy Founder of a ‘school’ of philosophy called ontological realism Ontology is the study of existence Realism means having a practical understanding of life a theory about the nature of being human

Platonic Philosophy Above and beyond the everyday world of appearances, there exists another, more perfect realm of pure ideas, universals, or forms, which are the true reals or existences: permanent, unchanging, and divine. Most people see the world of appearances Enlightened, educated people see the “true reals” or “ideals”

Plato’s Writing Activate Prior Knowledge: Discuss What is an allegory? List several allegories that you’ve read in the past. What made those books allegories?

The Allegory of the Cave: Book VII of The Republic LITERARY MODE: Dialogue In the Cave allegory, Socrates is talking to a young follower named Glaucon and is telling him this fable to illustrate what it’s like to be a philosopher—a lover of wisdom “PHIL” = Greek root meaning love

Concurrently & individually: read and make useful notes Excerpt from Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder Secondary Source Fictional Novel

Critically Read: Analyzing The Cave Annotate the text, focusing on: Symbols The Cave The Sun Imagery Light/Darkness Why do the cave dwellers kill the newly enlightened person who returns to share his knowledge?

Puppet/Puppeteers Metaphor In the allegory, Plato says that most people are like prisoners chained in a cave, unable to turn their heads. All they can see is the wall of the cave. Behind them burns a fire.  Between the fire and the prisoners there is a balcony, along which puppeteers can walk. The puppeteers, who are behind the prisoners, hold up puppets that cast shadows on the wall of the cave. The prisoners are unable to see these puppets, the real objects, that pass behind them. What the prisoners see and hear are shadows and echoes cast by objects that they do not see. The prisoners think that these shadows are real objects, as they are being manipulated by the puppeteers

Philosophers are RARE; most people cannot deal with the truth. Some men, the philosophers (lovers of wisdom), turn or break their chains, and realize that the shadows are just shadows,  and ascend from the cave, to the world of true being (the Ideas or Forms) These men, because they have been enlightened (and see the ‘sun’ in all its truth), have an obligation to go back in the cave and instruct the others, to guide them, as they live in the world of appearances.     Philosophers are RARE; most people cannot deal with the truth. Philosophers can tell the difference between true knowledge and opinion

Plato’s point is that the prisoners are mistaken: They would be taking the terms in their language to refer to the shadows that pass before their eyes, rather than (as is correct, in Plato’s view) to the real things that cast the shadows. If a prisoner says “That’s a book” he thinks that the word “book” refers to the very thing he is looking at. But he would be wrong. He’s only looking at a shadow. He cannot see the real “book.” To see it, he would have to turn his head around. Plato’s point: most people aren’t able to actually interpret the world around them- most people can’t see past the bias of their own limited experience

EDUCATION and ENLIGHTENMENT releases THE PRISONERS and turns them into PHILOSOPHERS! When the prisoners are unchained, they can turn their heads and see the real objects. Then they realize their error. What can we do that is analogous to turning our heads and seeing the causes of the shadows? Who in (any text) represents the chained prisoners in this allegory? Who in (any text) represents the puppeteer? Who in (any text) represents the philosopher?

Exit Slip  Analyzing Fr Rev using “The Cave” Who are the puppeteers in the French Rev? Who takes advantage of others’ ignorance to lead people astray? Who are the prisoners in the French Rev? Who can’t see beyond their own limited experience? Who are the philosophers in the French Rev? Who is enlightened and can look beyond their own limited experience to see truth?

Discuss as group: Analyzing Lord of the Flies using “The Cave” Who are the puppeteers in Lord of the Flies? Who takes advantage of others’ ignorance to lead people astray? Who are the prisoners in Lord of the Flies? Who can’t see beyond their own limited experience? Who are the philosophers in Lord of the Flies? Who is enlightened and can look beyond their own limited experience to see truth?

Why is it pretentious if you buy this mug for yourself?

“This is also not a Pipe”- Rene Magritte