Plato Study Questions

1. According to Socrates, what does the Allegory of the Cave represent?
The Allegory of the Cave represents the ignorance in society.
2. What are the key elements in the imagery used in the allegory?
The key elements in the imagery used in the allegory are the prisoners who represent mankind and its ignorance, the sun which represents the truth or reality as it is, the shackles which represent authority and imprisonment, and the shadows which represent lies and distractions. 
3. What are some things the allegory suggests about the process of enlightenment or education?
The allegory suggests that to seek enlightenment there might be struggles but the hardships or in the story the pain the man receives from moving his neck and breaking the shackles is small compared to the overall gain.
4. What do the imagery of "shackles" and the "cave" suggest about the perspective of the cave dwellers or prisoners?
The perspective of the cave dwellers is cloudy with lies and false realities, the shackles bind them to the cave which metaphorically is a place of ignorance and stupidity.
5. In society today or in your own life, what sorts of things shackle the mind?
 A major shackle in my own life is the common way the school system is supposed to be.
6. Compare the perspective of the freed prisoner with the cave prisoners?
The freed prisoner was enlightened by the new sense of reality whereas the cave prisoners perspective remains corrupted with lies and familiarity.
7. According to the allegory, lack of clarity or intellectual confusion can occur in two distinct ways or contexts. What are they?
They can occur through authority and imprisonment.
8. According to the allegory, how do cave prisoners get free? What does this suggest about intellectual freedom?
The cave prisoner turns his neck and the shackles shatter, this suggests that intellectual freedom is easy to achieve.
9. The allegory presupposes that there is a distinction between appearances and reality. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Yes, there is definitely a distinction between appearances and reality things aren't always what they appear to be. You can't judge a book by its cover.
10. If Socrates is incorrect in his assumption that there is a distinction between reality and appearances, what are the two alternative metaphysical assumptions?