Allegory of the Cave study questions

1. According to Socrates, what does the Allegory of the Cave represent?
-The cave is something that restricts freedom, and it is a metaphor for the things that are reality.
2. What are the key elements in the imagery used in the allegory?
-The prisoners, the chains, and the cave are all main elements of imagery. These things bring a dark feel to the story but give you a vivid image of what is there.
3. What are some things the allegory suggests about the process of enlightenment or education?
- Plato suggest that everyone has the potential to do great things, he thinks people should take opportunities.
4. What do the imagery of "shackles" and the "cave" suggest about the perspective of the cave dwellers or prisoners?
- Shackles represent the restrictions we have and how we can’t break free from them. The Cave is the reality of it all.
5.  In society today or in your own life, what sorts of things shackle the mind?
- In today’s society many things shackle people’s minds. For me I think I care to much about judgment, so I limit myself with the things I do, because of the way I think it may be perceived.
6.  Compare the perspective of the freed prisoner with the cave prisoners?
-The freed prisoner is confused why the cave prisoner doesn't care he is limited. The freed prisoner is living "real life" while the cave prisoner is just in the shadows of the cave.
7. According to the allegory, lack of clarity or intellectual confusion can occur in two distinct ways or contexts. What are they?
-The prisoners not being able to see they are being limited by the cave, and then refusing to listen to the freed prisoner when told about the realties outside the cave are the two way of lack of clarity.
8.  According to the allegory, how do cave prisoners get free? What does this suggest about intellectual freedom?
-Going outside the box and breaking away from structure allows a prisoner to become free. This suggests that they can only be enlightened by others who have already been freed.
9. The allegory presupposes that there is a distinction between appearances and reality. Do you agree? Why or why not?
-Yes I agree, this is because people can put up a front to disguise the way they really are around certain people. If one sees a scary looking person walking down the street no one will approach them, although in reality they could be one of the nicest and most trustworthy person ever. I think that you must learn to distinguish appearances and reality in order to really get to know people.
10.  If Socrates is incorrect in his assumption that there is a distinction between reality and appearances, what are the two alternative metaphysical assumptions?
-Everyone can have their own version of a reality, one could see something and would  believe something without any thing to back it up, these would be the alternatives of having a difference between appearances and reality.