Trivium
Curriculum/Plato: The Republic/Allegory of the Cave
Plato: The RepublicGrade 7dialectic Stage

Allegory of the Cave

The Text

What You'll Learn

1

Comprehension

Describes the cave: prisoners "have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move," fire behind them, wall with people carrying objects

2

Cause & Consequence

Explains why the freed prisoner at first thinks shadows "are truer than the objects which are now shown to him" - his eyes are adjusted to darkness

3

Meaning

Takes a position on whether the allegory captures something true about human knowledge and the difficulty of seeing reality

4

Defense

Explains why the counterargument has merit

How It Works

Your AI tutor will guide you through this text using the Socratic method. Instead of giving you answers, it asks questions that help you discover the meaning for yourself.

  • 1.Read the text carefully
  • 2.Answer the tutor's questions in your own words
  • 3.Progress through each stage as you demonstrate understanding
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