Today, we are going to discuss Plato’s famous
parable, the parable of cave. As I have been
discussing about the dichotomy that is there
in Plato’s philosophy of mind, the dichotomy
between the forms and the particulars, particulars
are there in the world and forms are there
in an independent world. So, this dichotomy
is something very significantly related to
Plato’s theory of mind and that can be little
explicated through the help of this famous
parable called the parable of cave. Now, let
us see, what is this parable?
Plato explains, that there is a cave and there
are some prisoners kept inside the cave for
a long time and these prisoners’ hands and
legs are tightly bound, so that they cannot
even move, they cannot even turn and see things
what is there behind them. So, what the prisoners
used to do, they were together and they were
looking at the wall.
Now, between the wall and the prisoner, the
prisoners were dwelling inside the cave, behind
them there was fire, there was a fire place
where, you know, the fire was there and these
prisoners used to see their shadows, that
is reflected on the wall. The shadows were
created by the fire.
It is like this, suppose there is a cave and
in the cave, now you have to come down, the
cave has a small entrance, entrance here and
the prisoners are, say for example, there
are prisoners who are kept here and there
is this fire place, there is this fire place.
Now, because of this fire in the wall, of,
in the wall, of the cave, there were some
shadows. So, shadows were created by the existing
fire.
The prisoners, they were not aware of this
fact, that the shadows are created by fire;
they only have this impression, that whenever
they used to move from here to there, the
shadows were also moving. So, for them shadows
were living beings like the prisoners were
dwelling inside the cave. So, the movement
of their bodies, the movement of the bodies
of the shadows is quite similar. Hence, the
prisoners started believing, that the shadows
are real phenomena.
Now, if shadows are real, then Plato asked
these questions, how does one make the distinction
between reality and appearances, because for
Plato, reality is something different from
appearance. Now, how does the prisoners find,
that there is something called a reality and
that is beyond the appearances? How does one
encounter such a reality?
Now, this idea of experiencing such a reality
has been explained in this parable. Imagine
a situation where one of the prisoners tries
to remove the circles and tries to turn and
he turns in such a way, that you know he is
able to free himself and then, started climbing
up the steps. Now, once he goes on climbing
of the steps, he reaches to a point, that
is, the point at the entrance and then, he
finds there is a dim light coming through
the entrance. He comes out of the cave finally,
and when he comes out of the cave, he is not
able to see anything; he is not able to see
anything. Why is it, that the prisoner is
not able to see anything?
Now, Plato says, since the prisoner was kept
inside the cave and the cave was a dark place,
it is a dark chamber, hence the prisoner had
no scope to see the light. And when the prisoner
came out of the cave, he finds that there
is tremendous light and the light is so much,
he is unable to open his eyes and see things.
And then, Plato says, slowly and slowly the
prisoner starts opening his eyes and tries
to see, what are there in the world. Plato’s
explanation here is very interesting, that
is, the prisoner makes an attempt to go out
of the cave and the prisoners are not able
to see the cave and the 3rd is the prisoner
sees the things as they are.
So, when the prisoners are start seeing things
as they are, he has this impression about
the reality that is different from the shadows,
which are experienced by the prisoners who
were dwelling inside the cave and he is one
among them. Now, since he is out and able
to see the things as they are, he is able
to make this distinction that shadows were
only appearances and there is a reality beyond
these appearances.
Now, Plato’s parable suggests, that reality
is as it is independent of the basic particulars,
the basic particulars, which are changing.
So, there is something, there is an underlying
principle and that can be seen or that can
be known through what you called protocol
intuition. Now, intuition gives us some kind
of knowledge, knowledge about the reality.
Plato says, one has to prepare himself that
is, talking about preparation.
Now, what kind of preparation the prisoners
are ought to be doing? Now, unless you prepare
yourself, you will not be able to see your
soul, you will not understand who are the
soul is. So, soul has a goal; the goal is
coming out of this darkness.
So, there is this epistemological exercise,
there is an epistemological exercise in Plato,
where the soul is aspiring; the soul is aspiring
to know what is reality. Now, this aspiration
demands some kind of preparation. Preparation
is through, we can say, contemplation, reflection.
The soul is a conscious being, must reflect
on things there are experienced. So, these
experienceable phenomena are real or not is,
to be understood and that is, that is why,
Plato talks about this parable.
So, the parable is a very suggestive one and
it suggests that when the prisoner understands,
that there is a reality and this reality is
something different from the appearances,
Plato talks about truth. So, it is the truth,
which has been known and truth is universal.
For Plato, the light of the sun is, is a kind
of metaphor used in the parable to talk about
truth because you are not able to see truth
as it is, you are not able to see the reality
as it is. Hence, what is necessary is, that
the self, slowly and slowly comes to know
what is been given to him and what is the
reality. So, this parable has both, an epistemological
and ethical concern. As I said, truth and
good are one in Plato’s metaphysics because
the epistemological enterprise and the ethical
enterprise in Plato go together.
Now, the prisoner who is aware of this fact,
that the shadows are not real phenomena and
reality is something different, then for Plato,
he has this moral responsibility. In fact,
the prisoner who is an enlightened one has
this moral responsibility to go back and tell
the other prisoners or free the other prisoners,
who are in the dark, who still think, that
the shadows are real.
Now, look at this idea of steps. Steps are
nothing, but struggles, with a lot of hardship
you need to climb up. So, climbing up, his
talks about some upward movement is a movement
who is, you know, signifies the freedom of
the soul. Now, the soul cannot be bound by
the behaviors that are caused by the body,
body or bodily activities cannot bind the
soul. The soul frees himself and he frees
himself because he puts him in this struggle
and so this realization is a kind of an upward
movement.
Plato talks about the hierarchy of ideas.
Now, goodness being the highest idea, the
idea of good is one of the highest idea in
Plato, talks about how does one understand
of them: kindness, justice, goodness, all
these are nothing, but the ideas. Ideas, that
represent virtues, good being the most abstract
idea, is realized by realizing the other ideas.
So, one, when one realizes what is compassion,
when one realizes what is justice and then,
above all, he also realizes what is goodness
all about.
So, one transcends these layers, these hierarchies
and finally, he is able to know what they
are. All ideas are united, they are not a
discreet phenomenon, they are united because
it is the soul, which is working as a kind
of a uniting principle, as a unifying principle,
connecting these all experiences and understanding
the content of these experiences.
So, Plato’s notion of soul, which is akin
to the forms, is something very significantly
analyzed by Robert in this paper and one must
look at the famous parable and try to see,
that how the parable of cave has got an epistemological
aspect and also an ethical aspect. They are
part of the whole story to talk about what
is the reality, what is appearance and how
the reality is different from the appearances.
The knowledge about the reality can be known
only through the forms. Forms are the pure
ideas; therefore, Plato is talking about dialectics.
So, the dialectical mode of analyzing, reflecting,
questioning, suspending, gives us knowledge
and this dialectical mode of knowing is nothing,
but an intuitive mode of knowing. So, Plato
gives importance to intuition or reason as
a source of knowledge. So, there is sense
experiential knowledge and there is intuitive
knowledge or rational knowledge, dialectical
knowledge, knowledge, that involves dialectics.
Now, these two sources of knowledge are different,
in the sense that the knowledge about the
particulars, the knowledge about the world
is directly given to us, like for the prisoners,
the shadows were directly given and for the
prisoners, the things in the world as he goes
out, things are directly given. Now, how these
two givens are representing two different
kinds of realities and that can be discerned
and analyzed with the help of reason.
So, reason plays an important role constituting
Plato’s epistemology and ethics. So, therefore,
we need to look at what is the locus of the
reason? Does reason reside in the function
of sense, sense organs or does reason reside
in the in the soul for Plato? The soul is
a rational entity; it is not only a conscious
entity, but also a rational entity.
I am just using this term entity little differently,
just make sure, that there are physical entity
and there are mental or spiritual entity,
know this idea of entity, is always referred
to the physical entities, but this notion
of the spirit in Plato or the soul in Plato
is something spiritual, in the sense, that
it is the locus of the reason. So, therefore,
the knowledge and the knowledge about the
virtues, the intuitive knowledge the rational
knowledge and the knowledge of virtues are
one; they are identical for Plato.
Plato also shows, that this consciousness
activities in which the soul is engaged in
differentiating the appearances and the reality,
whether it is a cognitive activity or a psychological
activity. For Plato, it is not nearly a psychological
activity; it is purely a cognitive activity
because the soul is contemplating on the forms,
what is the nature of, of the form.
Now, this idea of contemplation is something
very significant and that can be associated
with Ducats idea of introspection, self-reflection.
Soul contemplates to have this self-knowledge,
to know what is this identity all about, is
there a self? So, the idea of a self or self-identity
can be derived with this contemplative attitude
of the soul, does not associate with the physical
activities.
There are physical activities when Plato compares
the activities of the person with movement
of the chariot. Now, there is a chariot, which
is analogous to the notion of body, the chariot
represents the body. The body has some movement
and this movement is caused by the charioteer.
So, in this connection, one can find, that
the soul is the charioteer whose soul is the
mover. It is the soul who is causing intentional
voluntary actions. So, soul of a charioteer
is the source of movement, his movements are
self-movement.
The soul desires to move like the prisoner.
The prisoner desired to move out from the
cave; the prisoner could turn. Now, this idea
of turning is something very significant.
It is significant because the reality sometimes
is constructed; it is constructed by different
sources.
So, for example, in today’s world the reality
is largely constructed by the media. So, most
of the time you are accepting whatever is
told to you, whatever is informed to you,
But Plato’s appeal is, you must examine
these information, you must examine these
opinions, which are created by the mass media
and then only you will have the possibility
to know, whether the information is correct
or incorrect, whether the information is well
justified or ill justified.
So, this idea of justification, justifying
the opinions or what Plato called Doxtures,
is an important element of Plato’s discuss
of epistemology. So, therefore, there must
be desire of the self or the person. The self
must intend to do, intend to reflect, intend
to contemplate, so that he or she comes to
know what is knowledge, what is truth. Unless
the desire is ignited, Plato says, the knowledge
about truth is impossible unless there one
is prepared. The knowledge about truth is
impossible. So, you have to put the soul in,
in such a condition in which this desire is
strengthened, the desire is accumulated, it
is broaden enough to realize what is truth.
So, this idea of knowing as a kind of a cognitive
activity and not a psychological activity
is something very significant because the
notion of good, the notion of the ethical
is purely a conceptual knowledge. It is not
a knowledge, which will be derived by seeing
10 good acts; no, the lover who is witnessing
suppose, 10 cases where the justice is given.
By then, he does not really have the knowledge
of what just justice is all about. No, unless
and until he contemplates, unless and until
he puts himself in this dialectical process
of the journey, the journey of knowing, knowing
the truth, he would not enlighten himself.
Hence, knowing is a cognitive activity; it
is not mere psychological activity for Plato.
Now, as a cognitive activity, Plato says,
that the one who knows, the one who aspires
to know and knows he is a lover of wisdom;
philosophy, as we know, is the love of wisdom.
Now, this idea of wisdom or truth is something
very significant. It is significant because
it is not only an epistemological discourse,
but this discourse also talks about the ontology
of truth. It is not nearly an epistemology,
but it is also an ontology that talks about,
that yes, there is truth and there is also
a lover, there is also a knower who knows,
that truth; who enlightens himself is a lover
because he is akin to this virtue of knowing.
He cultivates this spirit of knowing and enlightening
and that is why, Plato’s epistemology is
very much linked with the ontology and ethics.
So, these three, in fact, constitute some
kind of a triangle, where you have epistemology.
This will be ontology and ethics because knowledge
about the truth or goodness is a kind of a
highest, highest virtue according to Plato.
So, this is a kind of a knower or the lovers.
The lover talks about what? Unless there is
a reality, unless there is something there,
what the knower would know? So, ontology is
also part of epistemology.
The ontology of the forms, because knowledge
is a conceptual knowledge, it is through forms
you have the knowledge about the basic particulars.
So, in the things, in the world, the things
in the world of forms. So, this epistemic
concern of the knower is something very significant
when we talk about Plato’s notion of truth
and the knowledge of forms.
This idea of a cognitive action, that knowing
is a cognitive activity source, that there
is a kind of a power of performing cognitive
act. Soul has some kind of a power, soul has
some kind of a power and this power is intrinsic
to the soul. It is the power, which causes
voluntary action. So, the source of intentional
action is due to the existence of the soul.
Soul is not absolutely merged with the world.
Now, the kind of relationship, say, for example
the forms and the particulars are having or
the soul is in between, this soul is akin
to the forms and it is through the forms I
know the particulars.
So, for example, when you talk about the form
of horse, horse is a basic particular, a particular
horse can have this horse nest, which is the
form of the particular horse. So, to identify
the horse, that horse is different from cow,
tigers, elephants, giraffes, zebra, etcetera
is due to the very fact, that I have this
idea about the horseness.
So, who has this idea? The soul has this idea.
Soul is akin, akin is some kind of a, it is
not a predicate of the soul. The Soul is,
by virtue of this relationship with the form,
the soul is able to identify, the soul is
able to identify a particular as it is.
Now, this identity relationship is kind of
knowledge. So, and that is possible through
the soul; the akin is not predictable. If
there is no differentiation now, if there
is no differentiation, then how do we talk
about the knowledge, about the particulars
and the knowledge about the forms?
The conceptual knowledge is knowledge, where
the soul is or associated with the soul, cannot
be part of the world. Soul cannot be identified
with the world, no, unless and until it has
some specific features. So, Soul has some
specific features, otherwise it would have
been identifiable. It is this differentiable;
differentiation is possible because the soul
is associated with the forms.
So, the relationship between the forms and
particulars is apprehended through the soul,
which has certain spontaneous movement. Now,
this idea of movement will be discussed in
later philosophy talks about freedom; the
self is free to act. So, it is the freedom
of will, as would call it, which talks about,
which is the source of action.
So, the spontaneous movement of the soul implies,
that the soul is free, soul is the creator
of the movement, soul is an intermediary between
the two realms of existence. As I said, it
is in between this, it is here you have ideas
and here you have particulars. So, there particulars,
there are things in the world, there are things
in the world and soul is in between this.
It tries to relate to ideas and relate to
the things in the world.
So, hence, soul is an intermediary between
the two realms of existence, the eternal ideas;
ideas, which are universal; ideas, which are
universal and different from this mundane
particulars, particulars that are there in
the world.
Let us summarize, what is the metaphysical
position of the Plato’s notion of Soul.
So, the theory of Soul says, that every living
actions are to be examined. The Socrates famous
slogan, an unexamined life is not worth living.
As I mentioned earlier, that in Plato’s
philosophy we will find, that epistemology,
ontology and ethics, they are, they are the
three foundation of the entire philosophy
and they are related. There is a kind of a
triangular relationship; they constitute a
kind of a structure in which they revolve.
Socrates famous slogan, that an unexamined
life is not worth living, is very clearly
maintained and discussed by Plato’s theory
of soul.
So, the soul has this desire, the soul has
the higher aspiration to know what it is to
talk about its own self-knowledge and self-identity.
Hence, it needs to contemplate on its activities
and this contemplation is a kind of an examination,
we need to examine it. So, so, there is a
kind of presuppositions in the theory of soul.
There is an unexamined position of living
for an examined life. So, an unexamined life
is not worth living.
The ethical aspect of ontology speaks about
the living of virtuous life. So, the ontology
not only tells us, that there are forms, forms
like goodness, justice, compassion, courage,
etcetera, but how does an individual live
through these virtues. How does one inculcate
these virtues? The individual inculcates them,
put them in their action and try to see the
meaning through the cultivation of these virtues.
Now, unless one cultivates the virtues, one
would not be able to examine what they are,
what has been given to them and what is his
responsibility. So, there is some kind of
a responsibility and this is what we call
the moral responsibility. It is the responsibility
of every individual to know what he or she
is.
Now, for Plato, that is the metaphysical principal
of the soul. The soul has the desire of knowing,
know the truth. So, soul is a metaphysical
reality for Plato.
Now, as a metaphysical reality, the soul,
as Plato tries to show us, transcends its
engagement with the empirical world. We are
all engaged with the empirical world because
we are all performing actions here and now,
our actions have history, our existence has
a history; it is history because it is happening
in time. It is, we are here now because our
existence has got some special temporal location.
Now, what is important is that we need to
transcend this engagement, this interaction
with the world. You do not have to know what
is the reality, like the prisoners had to
transcend the engagement, that they were having
with his fellow prisoners thinking that the
shadows are only real.
But the shadows were not really real, he had
the responsibility he could turn his psyche
in such a way, that he could go out and could
contemplate on these two experiences, the
experiences, that he had when he was really
inside the cave and the experiences, that
he can count when he moved out of the cave,
and with that reflection on reflective mind,
the platonic notion of soul gives us this
impression, that it is a kind of a transcendental
principal.
The ideas by degrees vacate their position
of transcendence and are seen to be dependent
upon the soul. So, it is the activity of soul,
that transcends various knowledge claims,
various engagements and tries to realize what
is the ultimate truth. So, soul is, is the
center of gravity in platonic systems.
So, when we talk about epistemology, when
we talk about Plato’s ontology, when we
talk about Plato’s ethics or the theory
of values, where we locate soul? The soul
is center of gravity, it is there in the center
and these three are revolving around the soul.
So, in a platonic system of morals, ontology
and epistemology, the soul constitutes the
center of the gravity. However, it does not
eliminate Plato’s dualism, even if Plato
is thinking, that soul is the center of all
this engagement.
So, engagement with the morals, engagement
with the mundane existing particulars and
engagement with the forms, this notion of
a soul as, as a center of gravity does not
deny Plato’s dualism, that there is a world
in the world of particulars and there are
forms independent of this world. So, this
ontological dualism is not denied, it is not
eliminated because the soul is only akin to
the forms, they cannot be part of the particulars.
Soul, through forms tries to know the particulars,
tries to identify the particulars, but yes
this is this is what it is.
So, this notion of dualism is very much part
of Plato’s philosophy. Now, one can reconstruct
Plato’s Dualism, Robert tried to reconstruct
Plato’s Dualism. Now, what kind of reconstruction
Robert does? He says, the soul, which is of
the center of all this activities could be
a subjective factor of knowledge and it is
antithetically related to the object. So,
that kind of dualism between the subject and
object, the knower and the known, are very
much there in in. So, there is a kind of a
dualism, which probably Plato could be a source
of it.
Now, let us read in what way Robert tries
to see, tries to interpret Plato’s Dualism,
try to reconstruct Plato’s Dualism. He writes,
I quote, in somewhat similar fashion, referring
to Kant, Plato having postulated soul as that
which mind and wisdom are contained, argues
from the soul, which acts as organizing principle
in the individual to a supreme soul in the
universe, from which souls of individuals
derive their being.
So, it is with this we would like to conclude,
that soul is, is an organizing principle,
soul is a unifying principle. Hence, it is
a metaphysical principle, principle, which
connects to ideas, connects to the particulars
and tries to realize, what is the supreme
virtue?
So, it is that where you find Plato is talking
about, how soul is the source of all kinds
of motion. The platonic notion of motion or
movement as, as talking about freedom is some
kind of a rational movement. It is rational
movement, the movement, which is articulated
by region and even it is expressed; it is
expressed through physical action. Hence,
one can also notice its affinity with the
body.
Soul is independent of the body and soul is
related to the body. Soul is independent because
it, it is the cause of its own motion. So,
the mortal soul is as Plato’s says, the
trunk of the body and the immortal soul, as
the soul has the reason, the spirit and also
can be divided into these three categories:
region, spirit and the appetites.
There are three forms of activities where
activity of the chariot and the activity,
which of these horses were pulling the chariot.
So, the charioteer, the soul has the power
to control the movement of the horse. At the
same time, the chariot in itself represents
a kind of a composed organic system like the
body is, and the soul, who is there in the
body, controls its movement. That is the,
that is how charioteer controls the movement
and directs this horses towards a kind of
a destiny. So, there is, is a notion of destiny
in Plato’s philosophy.
Destiny is to realize truth. So, truth is
an ultimate end and we need to realize following
a dialectical process. It is a process, which
is cultivated through contemplation and reflection.
It is knowledge, which is conceptual not censoring.
So, this will conclude Plato’s discussion
on the notion of soul.
Thank you.
