THE SUN LINE AND CAVE Plato

April 6, 2015

Republic: The Sun, Line and Cave

Aditya Venkataraman
ID - 9071385075
Word count - 14981
Socrates repeatedly claims that the Form of the Good is the most important thing to learn
and it is by relation to it that all just and fine things become beneficial [505, 532d]. In lieu of
explaining the Form of the Good, he presents three imageries. In this paper, I attempt to analyze
these imageries and understand their significance.
Allegory of the Cave and the Analogy of the Line2:
In [517b-c] Plato draws out some parallels between the Cave and previous analogies.
Extrapolating this passage, one could arrive at the following relationship:

Cave Line
Inside the cave Visible world, Opinion segments
Prisoners confusing reality with shadows and Eikasia
echoes
Freed prisoner looking at the statues in the Pistis
light of the fire
Outside world Intelligible world, Knowledge segments
Freed prisoner studying things in the light of Dianoia
the Sun
Prisoner confronting the Sun itself Noesis
However, this raises some difficulties. Firstly, the cave’s images don’t fit neatly into the four
subdivisions of the line. Once outside, the prisoner looks at reflections, then the things
themselves, then the nocturnal sky and stars and eventually, the Sun [516]. It is not evident how
these experiences can be classified between dianoia and noesis, as it is not clear which objects
1 Excluding References
2 Please refer attached diagrams of the Cave and the Line
PHILOSOPHY 430 - TUTORIAL 2 ADITYA VENKATARAMAN !1

outside represent the Forms. Secondly, the objects in dianoia in the Line are the same as in pistis,
but help the geometer to think about the Forms [510e]. In the cave parable, the reflections
outside and the statues inside don’t seem to be related in the same way. Lastly, the Line depicts
different affections of the soul, while the Cave depicts the ascent of the soul through education. It
does not necessarily follow that the ascent needs to be in the same steps as the Line.
Why are the prisoners “like us” and how do they differ from the philosopher?
The prisoners are “like us” because they mistake appearance for reality. They look at
shadows on the wall and mistake them to be ‘true reality’. When they talk amongst one another
and name different shadows, they are merely referring to the shadows, instead of the objects
behind them [515b]. Similarly, when we see a book and call it as such, we are referring to the
particular at hand, instead of realizing the Form of the Book. The prisoners can confront a
‘truer’ reality by breaking their shackles and turning towards the light. Similarly, we can elevate
our understanding by studying the world through the Forms, like the philosopher.
Difference between the geometer’s method and the dialectician’s and the
unhypothetical first principle of everything.
The methods of the geometer and the dialectician offer access to the intelligible as opposed
to the perceptible. However, they differ in their use and attitude towards hypotheses. A geometer
works with visible figures such as squares and diagonals, but thinks about the Square Itself and
Diagonal Itself which cannot be perceived sensually. Using these figures as hypotheses and first
principles, the geometer reaches conclusions about their Forms [510b]. However, the hypotheses
are left unevaluated. This renders the clarity of the conclusions to be only as clear as the
hypotheses.
The dialectician also begins with hypotheses, but merely treats them as stepping-stones for
initial progress. He will subject his own hypotheses to dialectical scrutiny [511b-c] and will
eventually reach the unhypothetical first principle of everything, which is the Form of the Good,
as it is the cause of knowledge of all objects as well as their cause itself. Upon knowing this first
principle, the dialectician can descend on conclusions, even geometric ones, solely using the
Forms.

At what stage in the ascent is Euthyphro?
Euthyphro appears to be in the lowest stage - eikasia or imaging. He claims to know the true
meaning of piety [5]; however, his attempts at defining it - prosecuting one’s father [5e], what’s
god-loved [7] etc. - seem muddled at best. They fall apart quickly under dialectic scrutiny.
Eventually, his answers reach a state of confusion, like the statues of Daedalus [11b]. This
reminds one of the prisoner who glimpses the fire after breaking his shackles. By the end of the
dialogue, it is clear that Euthyphro’s understanding of piety rests on conjectures from
mythological tales and cultural mores, which are like shadows or images of the true piety.
At what stage in the ascent are those who give “unsafe answers” in the
Phaedo?
People who give “unsafe answers” try to explain the world solely through materialistic ways
[96-101]. I believe that such people fall in the pistes or belief segment of the line as their analyses
requires the actual examination of the objects themselves. However, relying solely on sensory
perceptions renders such answers unacceptable on several counts:
• The same answer can account for opposite phenomena - one can be taller or shorter by a
head.
• The same phenomena can be explained using multiple answers - the ‘being’ of two can
be achieved through addition and division.
• The answers might hold for one particular observation, but not for others.
At what stage in the ascent is Socrates of the Apology?

In the Apology, Socrates repeatedly asserts that his sole claim to wisdom was knowing that
he knew nothing, while others claimed to know many fine things without knowing anything [21d,
22d]. The people of Athens are like the prisoners in the cave, in the stage of eikasia. They
confidently mistake the shadows in front of them for true reality. Socrates is also a prisoner
trapped in the cave, but he has realized that the shadows are not true reality. Like a prisoner
struggling with his shackles to turn towards the light, Socrates of the Apology is beginning to
embark on the philosophical journey.

What are the Sun, Line and Cave supposed to represent?
The Analogy of the Sun introduces a broad division between the visible and intelligible
worlds. The Sun causes, nurtures and governs the visible world [509b]. It is the source of light
which bestows eyes with the power to see and things with the power to be seen. The Form of the
Good is to the intelligible world, as the Sun is to the visible [508c].
The Line extends the analogy of the Sun by laying the visible and intelligible worlds on an
unequally divided line. Its four segments represent four affections of the psuche (soul). The lower
two represent the visible world and constitute Opinions. The upper two segments represent the
intelligible world and constitute Knowledge. The segments partake in increasing levels of reality
and truth [511e].
The Allegory of the Cave represents the effect of education on one’s nature. It shows that
the ability to learn through reason is present in every soul [518d] and the purpose of eduction is
to re-orient the soul towards subjects that will stir this ability to learn towards the Good.
Evaluate Plato’s account. Do you think what Plato says is correct?

The analogies suggest that Plato’s thoughts on epistemology, ontology and morality are
closely intertwined with one another.
Let’s consider the Line, in which Socrates talks about two different, but related proportions.
The first proportion consists of:
1. Shadows, reflections (AD)
2. Physical originals (DC)
3. Realm of opinions (AC)
4. Realm of knowledge (CB)
Socrates says that the shadows are to their originals as opinions are to knowledge, i.e.
AD:DC::AC:CB [510b]. This presents an ontological view that truth or lack of, is the basis for
classifying reality. Shadows are less true than their originals as their existence depends on
originals. This division of reality is said to be in the same proportion as the division of the
epistemic states of opinion and understanding. The second proportion consists of:
1. Eikasia (AD)
2. Pistis (DC)

3. Dianoia (CE)
4. Noesis (EB)
This epistemological proportion, AD:DC::CE:EB, represents various affections of the soul.
This is the basis of the educational program for the philosopher-kings. This also tells us that Plato
holds a rigorous notion of knowledge - as infallible and permanent - and denies the possibility of
knowledge for sensory things subject to endless change [515b]. Hence, knowledge about reality
argues for the presence of the permanent Forms as the basis of reality. This suggests that Plato’s
metaphysical views are retrofitted from his epistemology. One concern I have with this idea is
explaining permanent relationships between non-permanent objects. For example, the
knowledge, that oil and water don’t mix, can be obtained solely by empirical means without
invoking the Forms. Physical sciences are constructed through such methods.
Through the preeminent status of the Form of the Good, Plato expresses his view of reality
as inherently ‘good’. And since Knowledge can only be about the Forms, it follows that it is about
the best of each thing. Particulars are said to be inferior and partake in the Form for their being.
It is not clear whether ‘bad’ particulars are the result of an insufficient partaking in the ‘good’
Form or due to a sufficient partaking in the ‘bad’ Form. For example, is a misshapen wooden
thing bad because it does not sufficiently partake in the Form of the Table or because it partakes
sufficiently in the Form of the Misshapen Wooden Thing?
Plato’s Forms raise several questions, including by Plato himself in the Parmenides, but one
cannot deny the elegance of his attempt to solve diverse questions in metaphysics, epistemology
and ethics through a singular theory.
References:
1. Cohen, S. Marc, Patricia Curd, and Charles David Chanel Reeve, eds. Readings in Ancient
Greek Philosophy: from Thales to Aristotle: from Thales to Aristotle. Hackett Publishing,
2011.
2. Silverman, Allan, "Plato's Middle Period Metaphysics and Epistemology", The Stanford
Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2014 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <http://
plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2014/entries/plato-metaphysics/>.

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April 6, 2015

Republic: The Sun, Line and Cave

PHILOSOPHY 430 - TUTORIAL 2 ADITYA VENKATARAMAN !1

PHILOSOPHY 430 - TUTORIAL 2 ADITYA VENKATARAMAN !2

At what stage in the ascent is Socrates of the Apology?

PHILOSOPHY 430 - TUTORIAL 2 ADITYA VENKATARAMAN !3

Evaluate Plato’s account. Do you think what Plato says is correct?

PHILOSOPHY 430 - TUTORIAL 2 ADITYA VENKATARAMAN !4

PHILOSOPHY 430 - TUTORIAL 2 ADITYA VENKATARAMAN !5

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