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Allegory Of The Cave And Education Essay

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However, many prisoners would rather turn back around to where they were most comfortable and reject enlightenment. The prisoner then makes his way out of the cave into the sunlight which is an extremely painful process. Instead of returning to the cave, the prisoner is willing to accept the sunlight and adapt accordingly. The prisoner then realizes the sun is the source of all, the sun represents philosophical wisdom and truth. The prisoners journey signifies a philosopher’s expedition when discovering knowledge and truth. The allegory does not end there, the prisoner then feels sorrow for his fellow prisoners who are stuck in the cave. So, the prisoner then returns to the cave where he is unable to see clearly because he has adjusted to the …show more content…

Plato understands that the process of learning and understanding is often difficult and even painful. The development of learning requires assistance and sometimes force because of how much individuals resist. The one overseer who set the prisoner free represents a teacher, who pushes for the prisoner to learn the truth. Although, the teacher cannot force the prisoner to learn, the prisoner must desire and seek knowledge on their own and often it is a difficult process. Plato stresses in the allegory that it is easier to live in ignorance because the prisoner who escapes the cave questions his ideas, beliefs, and even reality. However, the prisoners who don’t seek past empirical evidence live in bliss because they don’t desire to seek the truth. It is clear how the allegory of the cave fits into the Republic, because Plato’s idea of the education system is not where students passively receive knowledge from a teacher. Plato believes that education and learning is a transformative experience that doesn’t just change ideas and thought but it transforms the soul of a student. He suggests that the students need to desire and seek knowledge and though it is difficult, once the student see’s the world differently they cannot go back. If students don’t question their beliefs and ideas, they will never discover the truth, which is why critical thinking is vital in education. In Plato’s idea of

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