Question

Comment on this passage, the response must be at least 125 words

mimi

In The Allegory of the Cave, Plato is explaining that our perceptions are false and therefore made imperfect by our lack of context and ability to perceive realities until we 'step out of' our limited environment and 'see' other forms of those perceptions. He is saying that we speak in language that does not perceive the reality, just the 'shadow' of reality. In order to see reality, we 'need to turn' our 'head around' (Cohen, 2006, 2015).

Plato is saying that human existence is about awakening to not only our own existence, but to the existence of creation in general and our role (part) in relation to creation. He is speaking to the purpose of human endeavor in understanding existence at all. He is speaking to the unseen forces that initiate and control creation/existence and how they influence all of creation/existence. He also states that we have a 'form' of recollection that we have not experienced through our own bodily experience, but rather through our 'soul' that then translates to our bodily experience once we 'open' our minds to other perceptions that our soul has brought with it into existence. He posited that the soul is immortal, even though the body is not. (Philosophy Pages, n.d.).

I most certainly have 'stepped out of the cave' and returned with a new understanding of my former world. I do this through meditation, where I allow my being to just sit quietly and let perceptions come as they may. It is not easy to do and many 'perceptions' are just the same limiting thoughts trying to keep alive in my consciousness, but after I recognize and dismiss these, 'true' perceptions outside of my own emerge and I 'see' the truth of something that either was troubling or giving me false perception(s). Sometimes I can perceive a 'truer' reality, triggered by a flash back to something that takes away the false perception just long enough for the truth to shine through. Both of these types of experiences help me to change my response(s) and action(s) toward any situation from negative to positive and not only builds my confidence, but allows my mind to expand into truer realities, thus changing my circumstance(s).

Manifesting 'true' realities is an ongoing experience that expands one's mind, just as the universe is continually expanding. This is what I believe Plato is talking about in the Allegory of the Cave.

Answer 1

The " Allegory of Cave" by Plato defines the human limitations. Plato says that human perception is imperfect as it cannot perceive the truth, it just perceives the shadow of the reality. Inorder, to understand the reality Plato advises human beings to step out of their caves, that is their limitations or boundaries of that particular context, and should look around themselves. They need to stretch out their comfort zones to grasp the realities. While doing so, their perception of realities also changes,as it gives them new understanding of the reality. Thus, as they move on in their life and step out of their caves they get newer understanding of the various aspects of their life, which ultimately leads them to the realization of the truth. This is a spontaneous and continous process, as life itself is ever changing and spontaneous.