... that they are unable move or turn their heads: all they know and see in their life is displayed as shadows on the cave wall in front of them. Plato uses a form of Horatian satire, "[] a gentler, more good humored and sympathetic kind of satire, somewhat tolerant of human folly ... even while laughing at it [] Horatian satire tends to ridicule human folly in general or by type rather than attack specific persons" (Harris), in his essay to bring this point across to his readers. Although "The Myth of the Cave ... " was written hundreds of years ago, the dialogue between Socrates and Glauc...

• Word Count: 889
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

The message of Plato's myth of the cave conveys his theory of how we come to know or how we attain true knowledge. In the cavern people are chained so they can look forward only at the wall of the cave. Behind them, a fire burns which they are never able to see. Nevertheless, between them and the fire ... along which people carry pictures, puppets, and statues. The prisoners cannot see the exit out of the cave, the fire burning behind them, or the people carrying objects in front of the fire. They only see the shadows. Plato makes an Appearance/Reality distinction. For example, the relation be...

• Word Count: 460
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School