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TED-Ed: Lessons Worth Sharing, Plato’s Allegory of the Cave - Alex Gendler

Plato's Allegory of the Cave - Alex Gendler

What is reality, knowledge, the meaning of life?

Big topics you might tackle figuratively explainIing existence as a journey down a road or across an ocean, a climb, a war, a book, a thread, a game, a window of opportunity, or an all-too-short-lived flicker of flame. 2,400 years ago, one of history's famous thinkers said life is like being chained up in a cave, forced to watch shadows flitting across a stone wall. Pretty cheery, right? That's actually what Plato suggested in his Allegory of the Cave, found in Book VII of "The Republic," in which the Greek philosopher envisioned the ideal society by examining concepts like justice, truth and beauty. In the allegory, a group of prisoners have been confined in a cavern since birth with their backs to the entrance, unable to turn their heads, and with no knowledge of the outside world. Occasionally, however, people and other things pass by the cave opening, casting shadows and echos onto the wall the captives face. The prisoners name and classify these illusions, believing they're perceiving actual entities. Suddenly, one prisoner is freed and brought outside for the first time. The light hurts his eyes and he finds the new environment disorienting. When told that the things around him are real, while the shadows were mere reflections, he cannot believe it. The shadows appeared much clearer to him. But gradually, his eyes adjust until he can look at reflections in the water, at objects directly, and finally at the Sun, whose light is the ultimate source of everything he has seen. The prisoner returns to the cave to share his discovery, but he is no longer used to the darkness, and has a hard time seeing the shadows on the wall. The other prisoners think the journey has made him stupid and blind, and violently resist any attempts to free them. Plato introduces this passage as an analogy of what it's like to be a philosopher trying to educate the public. Most people are not just comfortable in their ignorance but hostile to anyone who points it out. In fact, the real life Socrates was sentenced to death by the Athenian government for disrupting the social order, and his student Plato spends much of "The Republic" disparaging Athenian democracy, while promoting rule by philosopher kings. With the cave parable, Plato may be arguing that the masses are too stubborn and ignorant to govern themselves. But the allegory has captured imaginations for 2,400 years because it can be read in far more ways. Importantly, the allegory is connected to the theory of forms, developed in Plato's other dialogues, which holds that like the shadows on the wall, things in the physical world are flawed reflections of ideal forms, such as roundness, or beauty. In this way, the cave leads to many fundamental questions, including the origin of knowledge, the problem of representation, and the nature of reality itself. For theologians, the ideal forms exist in the mind of a creator. For philosophers of language viewing the forms as linguistic concepts, the theory illustrates the problem of grouping concrete things under abstract terms. And others still wonder whether we can really know that the things outside the cave are any more real than the shadows. As we go about our lives, can we be confident in what we think we know? Perhaps one day, a glimmer of light may punch a hole in your most basic assumptions. Will you break free to struggle towards the light, even if it costs you your friends and family, or stick with comfortable and familiar illusions? Truth or habit? Light or shadow? Hard choices, but if it's any consolation, you're not alone. There are lots of us down here.


Plato’s Allegory of the Cave - Alex Gendler L'allégorie de la caverne de Platon - Alex Gendler プラトンの『洞窟の寓意』 - アレックス・ジェンドラー A Alegoria da Caverna de Platão - Alex Gendler Аллегория пещеры Платона - Алекс Гендлер

What is reality, knowledge, the meaning of life? Что такое реальность, знание, смысл жизни?

Big topics you might tackle figuratively explainIing existence as a journey down a road or across an ocean, a climb, a war, a book, a thread, a game, a window of opportunity, or an all-too-short-lived flicker of flame. Grandes tópicos que você pode abordar figurativamente explicando a existência como uma jornada por uma estrada ou através de um oceano, uma escalada, uma guerra, um livro, um tópico, um jogo, uma janela de oportunidade ou um lampejo de vida muito curto. chama. Большие темы, к которым вы могли бы обратиться образно, объясняя существование как путешествие по дороге или через океан, восхождение, войну, книгу, нить, игру, окно возможности или слишком короткий миг жизни. пламя. 2,400 years ago, one of history’s famous thinkers said life is like being chained up in a cave, forced to watch shadows flitting across a stone wall. Há 2.400 anos, um dos famosos pensadores da história disse que a vida é como estar acorrentado em uma caverna, forçado a observar sombras esvoaçando por uma parede de pedra. 2400 лет назад один из известных мыслителей в истории сказал, что жизнь подобна тому, чтобы быть прикованным цепью в пещере, вынужденным наблюдать за тенями, мелькающими по каменной стене. Pretty cheery, right? Bem alegre, certo? Довольно радостно, правда? That’s actually what Plato suggested in his Allegory of the Cave, found in Book VII of "The Republic," in which the Greek philosopher envisioned the ideal society by examining concepts like justice, truth and beauty. Isso é realmente o que Platão sugeriu em sua Alegoria da Caverna, encontrada no Livro VII de "A República", em que o filósofo grego vislumbrou a sociedade ideal examinando conceitos como justiça, verdade e beleza. Именно это предложил Платон в своей «Аллегории пещеры», найденной в Книге VII «Республики», в которой греческий философ представил идеальное общество, исследуя такие понятия, как справедливость, истина и красота. In the allegory, a group of prisoners have been confined in a cavern since birth with their backs to the entrance, unable to turn their heads, and with no knowledge of the outside world. В аллегории группа заключенных с рождения находится в пещере спиной ко входу, не может повернуть голову и не знает внешнего мира. Occasionally, however, people and other things pass by the cave opening, casting shadows and echos onto the wall the captives face. Ocasionalmente, no entanto, pessoas e outras coisas passam pela abertura da caverna, lançando sombras e ecos na parede que os cativos enfrentam. Однако время от времени люди и другие существа проходят мимо входа в пещеру, отбрасывая тени и эхо на стену, с которой сталкиваются пленники. The prisoners name and classify these illusions, believing they’re perceiving actual entities. Os prisioneiros nomeiam e classificam essas ilusões, acreditando que estão percebendo entidades reais. Заключенные называют и классифицируют эти иллюзии, полагая, что они воспринимают реальные сущности. Suddenly, one prisoner is freed and brought outside for the first time. De repente, um prisioneiro é libertado e trazido para fora pela primeira vez. The light hurts his eyes and he finds the new environment disorienting. Свет режет глаза, и он находит новое окружение дезориентирующим. When told that the things around him are real, while the shadows were mere reflections, he cannot believe it. Когда ему говорят, что вещи вокруг него реальны, а тени были лишь отражением, он не может в это поверить. The shadows appeared much clearer to him. Тени показались ему намного яснее. But gradually, his eyes adjust until he can look at reflections in the water, at objects directly, and finally at the Sun, whose light is the ultimate source of everything he has seen. Mas, gradualmente, seus olhos se ajustam até que ele possa olhar os reflexos na água, os objetos diretamente e, finalmente, o Sol, cuja luz é a fonte última de tudo o que ele viu. Но постепенно его глаза приспосабливаются, пока он не может смотреть на отражение в воде, на объекты и, наконец, на Солнце, чей свет является основным источником всего, что он видел. The prisoner returns to the cave to share his discovery, but he is no longer used to the darkness, and has a hard time seeing the shadows on the wall. O prisioneiro volta à caverna para compartilhar sua descoberta, mas não está mais acostumado à escuridão e tem dificuldade em ver as sombras na parede. Заключенный возвращается в пещеру, чтобы поделиться своим открытием, но он больше не привык к темноте и с трудом видит тени на стене. The other prisoners think the journey has made him stupid and blind, and violently resist any attempts to free them. Os outros prisioneiros pensam que a viagem o tornou estúpido e cego, e resistem violentamente a qualquer tentativa de libertá-los. Другие заключенные думают, что путешествие сделало его глупым и слепым, и яростно сопротивляются любым попыткам их освободить. Plato introduces this passage as an analogy of what it’s like to be a philosopher trying to educate the public. Platão apresenta essa passagem como uma analogia do que é ser um filósofo tentando educar o público. Платон представляет этот отрывок как аналогию того, что значит быть философом, пытающимся просвещать публику. Most people are not just comfortable in their ignorance but hostile to anyone who points it out. A maioria das pessoas não está apenas confortável em sua ignorância, mas hostil a qualquer um que a aponte. In fact, the real life Socrates was sentenced to death by the Athenian government for disrupting the social order, and his student Plato spends much of "The Republic" disparaging Athenian democracy, while promoting rule by philosopher kings. De fato, o Sócrates da vida real foi condenado à morte pelo governo ateniense por perturbar a ordem social, e seu aluno Platão passa grande parte de "A República" depreciando a democracia ateniense, enquanto promove o governo de reis filósofos. With the cave parable, Plato may be arguing that the masses are too stubborn and ignorant to govern themselves. Com a parábola da caverna, Platão pode estar argumentando que as massas são muito teimosas e ignorantes para governar a si mesmas. But the allegory has captured imaginations for 2,400 years because it can be read in far more ways. Mas a alegoria capturou a imaginação por 2.400 anos porque pode ser lida de muito mais maneiras. Importantly, the allegory is connected to the theory of forms, developed in Plato’s other dialogues, which holds that like the shadows on the wall, things in the physical world are flawed reflections of ideal forms, such as roundness, or beauty. É importante ressaltar que a alegoria está ligada à teoria das formas, desenvolvida em outros diálogos de Platão, que sustenta que, como as sombras na parede, as coisas no mundo físico são reflexos imperfeitos de formas ideais, como redondeza ou beleza. In this way, the cave leads to many fundamental questions, including the origin of knowledge, the problem of representation, and the nature of reality itself. Desta forma, a caverna leva a muitas questões fundamentais, incluindo a origem do conhecimento, o problema da representação e a natureza da própria realidade. For theologians, the ideal forms exist in the mind of a creator. For philosophers of language viewing the forms as linguistic concepts, the theory illustrates the problem of grouping concrete things under abstract terms. Para os filósofos da linguagem que veem as formas como conceitos linguísticos, a teoria ilustra o problema de agrupar coisas concretas sob termos abstratos. And others still wonder whether we can really know that the things outside the cave are any more real than the shadows. As we go about our lives, can we be confident in what we think we know? À medida que seguimos nossas vidas, podemos estar confiantes no que achamos que sabemos? Perhaps one day, a glimmer of light may punch a hole in your most basic assumptions. Talvez um dia, um vislumbre de luz possa abrir um buraco em suas suposições mais básicas. Will you break free to struggle towards the light, even if it costs you your friends and family, or stick with comfortable and familiar illusions? Você se libertará para lutar em direção à luz, mesmo que isso custe seus amigos e familiares, ou ficará com ilusões confortáveis e familiares? Truth or habit? Light or shadow? Hard choices, but if it’s any consolation, you’re not alone. Escolhas difíceis, mas se serve de consolo, você não está sozinho. There are lots of us down here. Há muitos de nós aqui embaixo.