PLATO’S DIVIDED LINE IDEA OF AN ARCHITECTURAL WORK
PLATO •
born 428/427 BCE, Athens, Greece—died 348/347, Athens
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ancient Greek philosopher
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student of Socrates (c. 470–399 BCE)
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teacher of Aristotle (384–322 BCE), and founder of the Academy
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The Republic is his masterpiece. It’s a lengthy dialogue split into ten separate books (or chapters), during which the character of Socrates engages in a philosophical discussion with several others.
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They talk about justice, politics, beauty, the soul, and the importance of enlightenment.
PLATO’S CAVE - ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE •
Here, Plato asks us to visualise an underground cave, which has an opening leading towards the light. Inside, there are people who have been chained since childhood. They are positioned so they are facing away from the light. There is a low wall directly behind them, and behind that, there is a re.
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Along and above the low wall, men carry statues, animal gures, and other objects. Those in chains cannot see the objects behind them. They only see the shadows of themselves and the objects upon the wall they are facing.
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The prisoners represent the majority of mankind. They only see shadows of reality and hear only echoes of the truth. Their worldview is warped by passions and prejudices.
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If, however, one of the prisoners was to escape and get used to the light, he would be able to see the objects which he previously knew as shadows. Yet he has not yet ascended to the world of pure reality.
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The “Allegory of the Cave” occurs in the seventh book of The Republic.
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PLATO’S CAVE - ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE •
With more perseverance, the prisoner will exit the cave and come into the sunlight. He will then see the world as it is, including clear objects and, lastly, the sun itself, which represents the Idea of the Good.
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When the ex-prisoner returns to the cave to try and free the others, his eyes are no longer used to the darkness. He struggles to see the shadows on the wall.
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The other prisoners think he is ignorant and blind. They become hostile and do not want to leave the cave.
PLATO’S CAVE - ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE •
Plato believes the purpose of education is to help people see absolute truths and values, and by extent, to save them from living their lives in the world of falsehood and prejudice.
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This form of education is particularly important for leaders. If they are blind and dwell in the darkness, they will wreck the entire Polis (city), which is far worse than the average individual remaining ignorant.
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In essence, the cave dwellers are philosophers before enlightenment. And, crucially, the allegory also addresses the plight that many philosophers face.
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Rather than being valued and appreciated, the rest of society (those still in chains) do not listen to the philosophers. In fact, they actively reject their teachings.
PLATO’S CAVE - ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE
„‘Or do you think there’s any point in possessing anything if it’s no good? Is there any point in having all other forms of knowledge without that of the good, and so lacking knowledge about what is good and valuable?’“ –Plato
PLATO’S DIVIDED LINE
I. Field - Noéton, nús - rational knowledge, epistémé - knowledge
II. Field - heraton - seen world, eikones - images, Aisthésis - perception, doxa - opinion
EPISTEMOLOGY EIKASIA True and untrue at the same time Guessing
PISTIS
DIANOIA
Seeing true versus untrue
NOESIS
Professional Activity, intellectual knowledge, knowledge until the technical, geometry, beginning of everything, mathematics philosophy, religion, art
B1
A1
GOOD D2
C2
Shadows of things Mirroring in water
Things, perceptive things
SKIAI
ZOA
A:B = B:C => B=C, 3:9 = 9:27
Attitude, thinking, from assumption until the end
Meta arché, not perceptive phenomenon, but ideas of ones self
EIDÉ ONTOLOGY
ARCHÉ - TECT - URE
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ARCHÉ - TECT - URE
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Arché - the origin
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Ure - ground, physis (=> urbanism)
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Tect - tecton (= carpenter), connecting things together in geometrical way
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Architecton - connecting things beyond physical - physical and metaphysical (art, spiritual)
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Logos - physis - human - moral virtue + practical wisdom (techné) + practice (Ergon)
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Mythos - metaphysis - God
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SOURCES
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https://www.britannica.com/biography/Plato
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https://yale.learningu.org/download/ca778ca3-7e93-4fa6a03f-471e6f15028f/H2664_Allegory%20of%20the%20Cave%20.pdf
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https://historyofyesterday.com/the-meaning-behind-platoscave-403011d240a9
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Prof. Hrůša’s lectures - translated to English
