Allegory of the cave

Plato's Allegory of the Cave describes prisoners who have lived in a cave, seeing only shadows of objects. A freed prisoner initially struggles to see the real world, but gradually adjusts, culminating in being able to look directly at the sun. Upon returning to the cave, the freed prisoner is temporarily blinded, causing prisoners to misunderstand the value of the journey. The allegory is related to Plato's theory of Forms, and can be interpreted from both an epistemological and political standpoint, representing the contrast between the philosopher's understanding and human nature or political corruption.

Allegory Of The Cave Media

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  Plato's allegory of the cave by Jan Saenredam, according to Cornelis van Haarlem, 1604, Albertina, Vienna

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  Allegory of the cave. From top to bottom:*

  • The sun ("the Form of the Good")
  • Natural things (forms)
  • Reflections of natural things (mathematical objects)
  • Fire (The visible Sun)
  • Artificial objects (physical/visible creatures and objects)
  • Shadows of artificial objects, allegory (image, illusion, analogy of the sun and of the divided line)
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  The divided line – (AC) is generally taken as representing the visible world and (CE) as representing the intelligible world