Education, study and knowledge

Mito da Caverna, from Platão: summary and interpretation

OR Myth of Caverna- ou a Alegoria da Caverna - It is a written text by ancient Greek philosopher Platão.

This is a metaphor of a philosophical-pedagogical character that exhibits a dialogue between the thinker and the master of Platão, Socrates, and a personagem Glauco, a young apprentice.

Starting from a conto cheio of symbols, Platão presents us with concepts and situations that deal with a search for conhecimento hair, in contrast with ignorance and manipulation.

A history integra or book VII of To Republic, a work in which the author debruça-se on Athenian political life, written approximately I do not know IV a. C.

Summary of the Mito da Caverna

Nesse myth, Socrates allows Glaucus to imagine a hypothetical situation in which several people are kept cornered on the basis of a dark underground cavern.

illustration of Myth of the cave
Illustration by Jan Sanraedam (1604) representing the Mito da Caverna

In front of two prisoners there was barely a wall, where they were projected shadows of figures representing beings, animals and other elements.

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These projects were feted by other people (who can be called "masters of the cave") as a help to light a fire, which was behind the cornered population.

We masters of the cave will elaborate this scheme, attacking the people from or birth, raising them to prove that they are free. Assim, they stimulated you to trocarem ideies among themselves and, even, to escolherem a leader.

As the only reality that the prisoners knew was that, they credited them that the shadows existed or the real world, that everything or that there was to be explored, no universe was more projeções. We are happy with that show and no other aspirations.

Meanwhile, contrary to expectations, two prisoners began to reflect on his condition and realize that there is something wrong. Assim, one day I get free and walk through the cavern, perceiving fogueira, we love you and the silhouettes.

cave myth
Scheme explaining o Myth of Caverna

Ao olhar to light da fogueira seus olhos ficam obfuscated, pois he has never seen in luminosity. The path is more and more difficult to walk to the cave, bringing a more intense light: to sunlight.

Or homem freed, at the beginning, I feel a great discomfort, I can't get anything out of it, I am imprisoned for life inside, and those who are not used to light. In the meantime, for a few years he developed an olhar capable of dealing with the outside world.

From then on, he began to see reality and live other experiences that were not possible within the dark cave.

Apostle a time exploring or new world, or home to the need to count years of his peers or that he has discovered.

So, no dialogue proposed by Platão, Socrates says for Glauco supor what would happen if such a home would return to the cave in order to "open the olhos" of serious irmãos.

The chegam at the conclusion that or homem would be rejected by many two prisoners, who would not accredit him or take him as Louco.

Interpretation and analysis of myth

Or tell us some teachings through the symbolism. Dessa form, to cavern It can represent our inner world, our limitations and "comfort zone". Ha prisoners são all of you individuals, that in reality we live in a kind of "unconscious scraping".

As projeções, ou shades, there are allegories that symbolize the illusions that human beings are imprisoned. Those illusions são, for Platão, or the material world, pois na antiquity valorizava-se much more or that is eternal. We can also interpret them as the ignorant and preconceiving ideas that we nurture the logo of life.

TO fogueira, which provides luminosity capable of fazer as the silhouettes are displayed on the wall, and seen as a kind of "fire two desejos". At the same time, this element enters no myth to characterize the human being of consuming many materials and superficial experiences.

You cavern masters são as people who manipulate you prisoners, ou seja, são as pessoas who, thinking that they obtain benefits, control and alienam o povo.

Different two prisoners, they are not cornered and managed to enforce the cave, but like them, they are also Enclosed, you fear that no external world does not have the same privileges that I will acquire by means of "blindness" of the population that dominam.

Or last symbol that appears no myth é a sunlight, which means "ideia do Bem", a concept traced by Platão that tells us about the light of wisdom, knowledge and truth.

Nesse sense, natural luminosity and consciousness that directs us to a beneficial position no world, placing ourselves in a way to serve or bem e not throwing out our own supplies of people and situations.

How to relate to Alegoria da Caverna as current world?

This dialogue proposed by Platão is really very old, written about 400 years before the birth of Christ. Ainda assim, he traced us valuable tips to understand or behavior of two human beings até leaflet.

We can draw a parallel with this allegory and current reality, not that I say I respect, for example, The desire to acquire consumer goods, proving that it will be possible or pre-enrollment of a vazio existential.

We masters of the cave can symbolize politicians and big businessmen, gifts of true fortunes that we conquer with the manipulation of people and the sale of products and more products. Following this rationale, it is possible to relate advertising and idioms to shadows held in the cave.

In search of conhecimento hair, it continues to be, therefore, essential for one day human beings to achieve true freedom.

Re-music of Cave myth

A history of the cave served as inspiration for some artistic productions, among them we highlight two films that made a huge success.

Film The Matrix, das Irmãs Wachowski

The Matrix It was launched in 1999 and became an icon of science fiction cinema.

Matrix and myth of the cave
O personagem Neo, played by Keanu Reaves, in the Matrix

Directed by the irmãs Lilly and Lana Wachowski, or enredo exibe a history onde Neo (played by Keanu Reaves), and invited to meet the "backstage" of the world, from the material reality that we know no more than illusion.

Assim, or protagonist, embarks on a fight against the machines that dominate human beings.

To find out more about the film, read: The Matrix

Or truman show

Em Or truman show, directed by Peter Weir and released in 1998, or starring in Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey).

truman show myth da caverna
Or truman show, who feared as protagonist Jim Carrey, could be related to the Mito da Caverna

His life was, from or birth, controlled and recorded, in order to pass on television so that thousands of viewers accompany his rotation.

Truman lives at the adult stage without being suspicious, but at a certain moment when he happened to perceive that he was living a great farce, he seeks in every way to become true.

Quem foi Platão?

Platão is considered um dos maiores only in classical western philosophy. Elevavelmente lived between the years 427-347 a. C. He was a disciple of Socrates, another great master of philosophy.

His ideas of him baseavam-se not understanding that a sensory, material and illusory life is actually in search of the true and the reason, which leads to or knowledge.

Platão sculpture
Greek sculpture representing the philosopher Platão

The true thinker was Arístocles, who saw a well-stocked family from Athens. He received someone from Platão because of her physical type, since the word means "long shoulders".

At the age of 40, he conceived a school destined for or conhecimento, which he received or named me from the Academy. Various thinkers met him.

From two teachings and reflections with Socrates, he developed his own theories. Furthermore, he wrote various texts that plotted dialogues with Socrates, or that it was possible that either the world was known or the thought of his master.

Platão lives very much considering its historical moment, dying no year of 347 a. C., 80 years.

You can also be interested:

  • Livro Or banquetby Platão
  • Phrase: know yourself
  • Livro Apologia de Sócrates, by Platão
  • Existentialism
  • Livro O Mundo de Sofia
  • Film Sociedade dos Poetas Mortos
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