The Greek philosopher Plato wrote most of his work in the form of dialogues between his old
teacher Socrates and some of Socrates' followers and critics. This particular story comes from
Plato's book of philosophical fiction, The Republic. In The Republic, Socrates tells his follower
Glaucon a story about people living in a cave, which serves as an allegory for human society and
the pursuit of knowledge. As you read, track the prisoner's changing perception of the world
around him as he moves from the cave to the outer world.
[1] Socrates: And now, let me show in a figure
how far our nature is enlightened or
unenlightened: - Behold! human beings
living in a underground den, which has a
mouth open towards the light and reaching all
along the den; here they have been from their
childhood, and have their legs and necks
chained so that they cannot move, and can
only see before them, being prevented by the
chains from turning round their heads. Above
and behind them a fire is blazing at a
distance, and between the fire and the
prisoners there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the way, like
the screen which marionette 2 players have in front of them, over which they show the puppets.
Glaucon: I see.
Socrates: And do you see men passing along the wall carrying all sorts of vessels, and statues
and figures of animals made of wood and stone and various materials, which appear over the
wall? Some of them are talking, others silent.
Glaucon: You have shown me a strange image, and they are strange prisoners.
[5] Socrates: Like ourselves; and they see only their own shadows, or the shadows of one another,
which the fire throws on the opposite wall of the cave?
1. that is, in a cave
2. A marionette is a type of puppet that is worked from above by strings attached to its limbs.
Glaucon: True; how could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to
move their heads?
Socrates: And of the objects which are being carried in like manner they would only see the
shadows?
Glaucon: Yes.
Socrates: And if they were able to converse with one another, would they not suppose that
they were naming what was actually before them?
[10] Glaucon: Very true.
Socrates: And suppose further that the prison had an echo which came from the other side,
would they not be sure to fancy when one of the passers-by spoke that the voice which they
heard came from the passing shadow?
Glaucon: No question.
Socrates: To them the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images.
Glaucon: That is certain.
[15] Socrates: And now look again, and see what will naturally follow if the prisoners are released
and disabused³ of their error. At first, when any of them is liberated and compelled suddenly to
stand up and turn his neck round and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp
pains; the glare will distress him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which in his former
state he had seen the shadows; and then conceive some one saying to him, that what he saw
before was an illusion, but that now, when he is approaching nearer to being and his eye is
turned towards more real existence, he has a clearer vision, - what will be his reply? And you
may further imagine that his instructor is pointing to the objects as they pass and requiring him
to name them, - will he not be perplexed? Will he not fancy that the shadows which he
formerly saw are truer than the objects which are now shown to him?
Glaucon: Far truer.
Socrates: And if he is compelled to look straight at the light, will he not have a pain in his eyes
which will make him turn away to take and take in the objects of vision which he can see, and
which he will conceive to be in reality clearer than the things which are now being shown to
him?
Glaucon: True.
Socrates: And suppose once more, that he is reluctantly dragged up a steep and rugged
ascent, and held fast until he's forced into the presence of the sun himself, is he not likely to be
pained and irritated? When he approaches the light his eyes will be dazzled, and he will not be
able to see anything at all of what are now called realities.
Glaucon: Not all in a moment.
Socrates: He will require to grow accustomed to the sight of the upper world. And first he will
see the shadows best, next the reflections of men and other objects in the water, and then the
objects themselves; then he will gaze upon the light of the moon and the stars and the
spangledª heaven; and he will see the sky and the stars by night better than the sun or the light
of the sun by day?
Glaucon: Certainly.
Socrates: Last of he will be able to see the sun, and not mere reflections of him in the water,
but he will see him in his own proper place, and not in another; and he will contemplate him as
he is.
Glaucon: Certainly.
Socrates: He will then proceed to argue that this is he who gives the season and the years, and
is the guardian of all that is in the visible world, and in a certain way the cause of all things
which he and his fellows have been accustomed to behold?
Glaucon: Clearly, he would first see the sun and then reason about him.
Socrates: Ar when he remembered his old habitation, and the wisdom of the den and his
fellow-prisoners, do you not suppose that he would felicitate himself on the change, and pity
them?
Glaucon: Certainly, he would.
Socrates: And if they were in the habit of conferring honours among themselves on those who
were quickest to observe the passing shadows and to remark which of them went before, and
which followed after, and which were together; and who were therefore best able to draw
conclusions as to the future, do you think that he would care for such honours and glories, or
envy the possessors of them? Would he not say with Homer, 5 Better to be the poor servant of a
4. Spangled (adjective) sparkling
5. The famous Greek poet who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey, whom Plato quotes in italics.
3.poor master, and to endure anything, rather than think as they do and live after their manner?
Glaucon: Yes, I think that he would rather suffer anything than entertain these false notions
and live in this miserable manner.
Glaucon: To be sure.
Socrates: And if there were a contest, and he had to compete in measuring the shadows with
the prisoners who had never moved out of the den, while his sight was still weak, and before
his eyes had become steady (and the time which would be needed to acquire this new habit of
sight might be very considerable) would he not be ridiculous? Men would say of him that up he
went and down he came without his eyes; and that it was better not even to think of ascending;
and if any one tried to loose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch the
offender, and they would put him to death."
Glaucon: No question.
Socrates: This entire allegory, you may now append, dear Glaucon, to the previous
argument; the prison-house is the world of sight, the light of the fire is the sun, and you will not
misapprehend me if you interpret the journey upwards to be the ascent of the soul into the
intellectual world according to my poor belief, which, at your desire, I have expressed whether
rightly or wrongly God knows. But, whether true or false, my opinion is that in the world of
knowledge the idea of good appears last of all, and is seen only with an effort; and, when seen,
is also inferred to be the universal author of all things beautiful and right, parent of light and of
the lord of light in this visible world, and the immediate source of reason and truth in the
intellectual; and that this is the power upon which he who would act rationally, either in public
or private life, must have his eye fixed.
using this context
To what extent do you believe that ignorance is like a prison or a cave? How can a
lack of knowledge about something keep people "in the dark?" How might lack of
knowledge prove harmful? in 2 sentence
1 answer
1 answer