Plato’s allegory of the cave is one of the greatest stories of philosophy. It allows us to understand how the Greek philosopher perceived the world in ancient times.
The tale involves a metaphorical explanation, in which the human being is faced with knowledge, of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato.
In his theory, Plato explains how the existence of the two worlds can be captured, namely through the sensible world (which is the one known through the senses) and the intelligible world (which is perceived through knowledge without the intervention of the senses).
The Allegory of the Cave
In the allegory of the cave, Plato describes a group of men who remain chained to the depths of a cave from birth; their condition is such that they can only look towards the wall in front of them since they are chained and unable to move.
Just behind the prisoners at a certain distance and above their heads, a bonfire illuminates the wall. In the middle, there is a corridor in which men circulate with various objects that, thanks to the illumination of the bonfire, project their shadows so the prisoners can see.