1. The allegory of the cave represents all that is maintained hidden from people throughout their lives due to their close mindedness an maybe even ignorance.
2. The cave represents the separation of some people minds from the outside world. The chains hold them from ever seeing beyond what they have chosen to believe. The outside world are those new ideas waiting to be discover and understood.
3. The prisoners re restrained from leaving the cave. They no nothing more than what they have been allowed to see. They have to chance at "enlightenment" for they no nothing more than a cave wall and vague unknown shadows.
4. The prisoners have a limited perspective on what they can experience. They have been seeing only what the people who have them captive have wanted them to see. Their world has become the cave an will never be anything more unless they seek it.
5. School is a perfect example of shackling the mind. You are taught what teachers are told to teach you.You take tests to measure how much information you were actually able to retain and if you don't pass then you are taught once again. Now there are ways in which students can free themselves from the shackles of school. They can take AP courses that take them out of their comfort zone and challenge them with more difficult concepts and ways of viewing things. Student do have the option of taking the regular courses but some like taking on challenges and leaving the cave.
6. The freed prisoner is exposed to the outside world. When he first walks in to the sunlight his eyes burn due to the brightness of the sun. The burn is all that is different for people. It the things they are scared to experience. The freed prisoner now knows the is a different world outside of the cave and can now choose between the two.
7. A person can choose to experience different things or they can stay in their circle of comfort forever. They can walk out into the light or they can stay hidden in the cave.
8. Prisoners are freed if they are shown the way out. If they are lead to the cave exit then they can be free. one must be shown the way. One must be taught the different paths there are in life but it is up to us to choose which one to follow.
9. There is definitely a distinction between appearances and reality. You can't know how real something is through only appearances. You can start with appearances but it must not stop at that for once you do you are already limiting the amount of knowledge you can acquire through learning more. Appearances don't always tell the truth but they often give insight into the truth.
10. People will only gain knowledge through what they see without ever gaining any true certainty of whether it is real or not. There will never be any change or improvement of any sort for prisoners will remain prisoners and never know what wonders are found outside of the cave.
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