Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and Enlightenment

Analysis of the significance of enlightenment in Plato’s `Allegory of the Cave`.

This paper analyzes the meaning of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, explaining how it represents a pilgrimage of the human mind from ignorance to enlightenment. The paper begins with a biography of Plato’s life and a discussion of some of the scholarly differences regarding the type of man Plato actually was. Next, the paper focuses on Plato’s concepts of truth, reality, and knowledge as represented in The Cave and summarizes its dialogue. Additionally, the influence of Socrates’s friendship with Plato and of his death on Plato’s writing of The Cave is discussed in this paper.

Abstract
Introduction
The Allegory of the Cave – an Analysis
Conclusion
The Republic is written by the Greek philosopher Plato in 500 BC. It is said that Plato’s real name was Aristocles and that Plato was a nickname. Plato was the youngest son of Ariston and Perictione and came from a wealthy family who had lived in Athens for many many generations. Plato’s real father died when he was very young and he grew up in his step-father Pyrilampes house. History shows that Plato studied under Cratylus who was a student of Heracleitus. The most interesting and most talked about relationship of Plato is that with Socrates with whom he became friends while very young. Plato got to know Socrates through his Uncle Charmides who himself was a close friend of Socrates.