Plato's Republic
...more about the cinema. As Toto grows older he learns how to run the projector and through a chain of events ends up capturing his own cinematography. His desires lead him on a journey much like that of the man who traveled from the cave upward in the third image of the cave. Socrates continues on to show that not only does the sun produce light but also allows for growth, “…although it is not itself coming to be” (182). The sun is the reason for change, but it never does. On the other hand he states that “…not only do the objects of knowledge owe their being known the good, but their being is also due to it, although the good is not being, but superior to it in rank and power” (182). This in turn could be seen as a tree not merely owing its entire existence to the sun but also to itself for producing some recognizable Good. The metaphor of visible and intelligible is also used in the second image of the Good. The second metaphor Socrates plans out begins with a line containing two sections. Each section is broken down in half. All together there is 4 parts in which each represents “…different conditions in the soul…” (185). The structure is much like a ladder in which the higher you become the closer to the Good you get. The bottom rung is Imagination, relating to visuals references such as “…shadows, then reflections in water and in all close-packed, smooth, and shiny materials…” (183). The next visual rung on the ladder is Belief, which is seeing actual items such as “…animals around us, all the plants, and the whole class of manufactured things” (183). The next step is to break down the intelligible section of the ladder. Thought is the next rung on the ladder and this is explained by Socrates as making claims about something because you know about it from like objects. He gives the example of geometry students who “…make their claims for the sake of the square itself and the diagonal itself, not the diagonal they draw” (184). This type of thought is first considering the hypothesis of objects by using “…comparison to their images…” (184). The last rung on the ladder is understanding. Once this point is reached one should be able to come “…to a conclusion without making use of anything visible at all” (185). Glaucon rephrases what Socrates has explained in his own words stating, “…you seem to me to call the state of geometers thought but not understanding, thought being intermediate between opinion and understanding” (185). Socrates has explained that the ultimate goal for ones intellect is to be able to understand. He has done this by using visual and intelligible references and metaphors. The third and final image Socrates explains begins in a dark cave. Within this cave is a group of people who are restrained so that they can only look forward at a wall. Behind these people is a fire which casts shadows of statues on the wall. He states that “…the prisoners would in every way believe that the truth is nothing other than the shadows of those artifacts” (187). Socrates explains how if one of them was released and looked around they would be “…pained and dazzled and unable to see the things whose shadows had seen before” (187). This is the first step towards getting this man to believe in something more correctly. Socrates makes the point that when this man sees a light it would hurt; in turn causing him to return to the things he can see. This relates to human nature in that when something is hard or hurts first instinct tells us to return to the comfort we know. In actuality all it takes is a little time to get use to the new situation. As one of them is brought out of the cave he journeys through this chain of events. He needed “…time to get adjusted before he could see things in the world above” (188). After adapting to the sun light the man can look around and notice actual things instead of shadows and reflections. Pondering his earlier situation the man would “…count himself happy for the change and pity the other”(188). This is due to a new sense of understanding. Socrates believes in his heart that the “…journey and the study of things above as the upward journey of the soul to the intelligible realm” (189). Here he is stating that the journey to understand will end in the form of the Good. Also, for anyone to “act sensibly”(189) they must be able to see the light which shines truth and understanding. Socrates accepts that he might not clearly know the definition of the Good, but he f...