Why would you want to leave? — Tom Storm
It always struck me as patronizing.however I'd like to know a few tidbits of wisdom you guys have gleaned out of the story. — theUnexaminedMind
So many people love to assume that they are out in the light, while others are still in the cave and yet have to come out, to finally see tha truth. — baker
One cannot escape the cave by seeing another image. To imagine that you have escaped the cave by reading about what is outside the cave is to do exactly what those chained to the wall do, take images as something more than an image. — Fooloso4
This requires struggle, breaking free from chains and forcing oneself to know. For me the main point is that anyone could escape the cave and thus be able to see the world. The capacity for true knowledge is innate for everyone, otherwise no one outside the cave could make sense of anything. — Manuel
you will not misapprehend me if you interpret the journey upward 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 intellect; and that this is the power upon which he who would act rationally either in public or private life must have his eye fixed.
So, you surmise that the lesson is that nobody makes 'the rough and steep ascent' and 'sees the light' (516b)? — Wayfarer
There's nothing corresponding to a vertical axis along with the soul can be said to ascend in our culture. — Wayfarer
The problem is, our materialistic culture knows nothing of the 'ascent of the soul' or 'the realm of pure ideas' ... — Wayfarer
... 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
How much do you think Plato knew? — Fooloso4
Wherefore each of you, when his turn comes, must go down to the general underground abode, and get the habit of seeing in the dark. When you have acquired the habit, you will see ten thousand times better than the inhabitants of the den, and you will know what the several images are, and what they represent, because you have seen the beautiful and just and good in their truth.
the virtue of wisdom more than anything else contains a divine element which always remains
Just being interested in the world — Manuel
Philosophy as a call to action, not a recipe or formula. — Wayfarer
the virtue of wisdom more than anything else contains a divine element which always remains
Why does he say that? What is the 'divine element' he is speaking of? — Wayfarer
It's plain that he is speaking, or having Socrates speak, from his own realisation. — Wayfarer
(And note well, there's a distinction between 'realisation' and 'experience' in such matters.) — Wayfarer
And it's not just a theory, a collection of words, but a completely different understanding of life. — Wayfarer
I'm sorry that this probably puts our views at loggerheads. — Wayfarer
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