1. Plato’s Republic The Divided Line and the Allegory of the Cave

2. Let’s get clear on the terminology: Allegory –A story, poem, or picture that’s used to symbolically represent a message. Metaphysics –The study of being, existence, reality, etc. Epistemology –The study of the nature, origin, limits, etc. of human knowledge

3. Divided Line - Prologue OBJECTS Forms (Good, General, Math) Particular/Physical Objects Images/Representations of Physical Objects

4. Divided Line The Nature of the World and the Structure of Human Knowledge

5. The Allegory of the Cave

7. Representation of an Image of a Dog

8. Image/Statue of a Dog

9. Dog

10. The “Form” of “Dogness”

12. Sun = Form of the Good Knowledge Objects in the Outside World = The Forms Understand. Shadows, Reflections in the Outside World = Mathematical Forms Belief Statues that Cast Shadows in the Cave = Particular Objects Sensing/ Shadows on the Wall in the Cave = Images Imagining Symbolism of the Cave