Question

Topic 1: Plato – the allegory of the cave

Plato is inspired by his teacher Socrates, but builds a grand positive theory of true knowledge and the just society. Plato’s “Allegory of the cave” (~380BC) introduces many of Plato’s central ideas and also many of his personal and philosophical rationales.

What is the implication of the allegory – and particularly the potential killing of the returning prisoners - for the value of democracy? Why is the ideal form of government according to Plato?

Answer 1

In the allegory of the cave, Plato places great emphasis on how difficult it is to acquire knowledge as it requires extreme amounts of persistence and discipline, which few people find desirable. Not only do cave dwellers dislike leaving the cozy darkness to which they are accustomed, they also hate those who have been outside and who have come back educated. In this way, individuals who set out on the path towards the attainment of knwoledge are often met with hostility and mistrust.

This, according to Plato, is the primary reason why democracy fails as a form of governance. This is because it assumes that all citizens are competent enough to make important political decisions. However, using the cave allegory, Plato already demonstrated how individuals would much rather prefer to linger in ignorance. He therefore proposed that only a small number of people, who willingly develop their intellectual faculties, should be trusted to make informed and well reasoned decisions.