blog 5

In Plato’s “The Allegory of the Cave,” Socrates tells a story to his student Glaucon to explain how the world can be such a different place when you borden your horizons. In this allegory Socrates tells a story of how humans in a cave are chained together by their feet and neck only being able to see what’s right in front of them and that shadows have been the closet think to reality they believe. What he is telling us is that the humans in the cave are being brought up to think and believe one way because they are stuck in a certain environment. Socrates goes on to say that if a prisoner were released from the caves he probably would be in great pain unable to stand, move, walk or steer at light. It would take some time for him to realize the reality of the real world from the shadows. What I think Socrates is trying to say by that’s is when the prisoner leaves the cave that harsh reality of life would probably be to difficult for him to deal with because of them being subjected to a certain type of life in the cave for so long life outside the cave would seem unreal to them at first glance, confusing even maybe. Its like teaching a baby to walk for the first time, they’ll be a little nerves and confused at first but with guidance they grow to understand stand then it becomes second nature to them, habit. But then Socrates says imagine then if the prisoner has to be replaced back in his old condition, would he not feel out of place, would he still be able to recognize shadows, how would the other prisoners feel about him? I think he is trying to say, when a person has be enlighten with a certain knowledge its not easy to see/do thing as he or she may have use to when their minds were undeveloped. Also that sometimes people are scared of change it could also be seen as a danger to them. People become a custom to a certain way of life when it’s all they know and tend to take it as a threat when people try to convince them other wise. In conclusion I feel that what Socrates is trying to say over all is you need knowledge to grow and with out it you will miss out on what the word has to offer.