Literature

What does Knowledge, or Insight mean in Platos, Allegory of the Cave

         Knowledge is defined as The fact or condition, of knowing something with familiarity, gained through experience or association (knowledge, Merriam Webster Online Dictionary).
In Allegory of the Cave, Plato describes a conversation between Socrates (his teacher) and his brother, Glaucon, discussing concepts supporting his Theory of Forms.    The Theory of Forms suggests that humans live in two worlds, one that is basically real in regards to our senses, and a world that we perceive to be real, but isnt.  Therefore, there is a world that is permanent and stable, vs. a world that is not permanent.

     In Allegory of the Cave, Socrates gives an example of chained prisoners that cannot move their legs, arms and most importantly, their head.  They are forced to face a wall, and watch shadows move, from one end to the other.  The prisoners, (have been there a long time since they were young), believe that these shadows are real. That is, real animals, real people, whatever the puppeteers happen to be casting a shadow off of.  But the prisoners do not see the puppeteers, or the objects they are carrying, they are only seeing the shadows on the wall.   This gives us insight on how the prisoners knowledge, was formed.  The prisoners know no other knowledge, other than the knowledge portrayed to them by the puppeteers.  This knowledge was created for them, not through experience of their senses, but by perception. 

     Socrates then goes on to discuss the possibility of a prisoner being let free.  He describes the new knowledge this ex-prisoner experiences, as he descends from the cave into the sunlight.  The prisoners mind, body and emotions, are all affected by all the new senses of this new world.  He then learns that the knowledge he had as a prisoner was only perceived, and this new knowledge experienced by his senses, is real knowledge.   

     Socrates also goes on to state that if the released prisoner should ever return to the cave, would the prisoners accept his testimony as real  There is likelihood that they would not, because they have not experienced what the freed prisoner has experienced through his senses.  In other words, they would have to see it, to believe it.

     Socrates theory of living in a dual world reality, is not exclusive to the time in which he lived.   Are we trapped in a world of impermanence and partiality.  If we are shown a news brief on crop circles, and we are told they were created by aliens, a majority of people would believe that aliens created the crop circles.  But in reality, it was two farmers that have been creating crop circles for 20 years.  However, most people will not be able to travel to the crop circle location, to validate this knowledge through their senses.  They have to rely on perception to form their knowledge, because they lack the opportunity to validate the facts with their senses.   

What does knowledge mean in Genesis 
     The story of Genesis, largely involves the creation of Earth and man, by God.  As we try to find the meaning of knowledge in Genesis, than we should look at the story of Adam and Eve, and their activities in the Garden of Eden.  Adam and Eve were given basic instructions by God, to eat of the Tree of Life, and to avoid the Tree of Knowledge, or they shall perish.  God didnt tell them what would happen if they ate of the Tree of Knowledge, but to only avoid it.    It wasnt until the serpent spoke to Eve, that the Tree of Knowledge was elaborated on.  The serpent questioned Eve as to why she should not eat of it, and convinced her that if she ate from it, her eyes would be opened.  

     In the story of Adam and Eve, the Tree of Knowledge, represents knowledge of good and evil.  By disobedience, Adam and Eve came to a personal and experimental knowledge of each, by eating of the Tree of Knowledge.  After eating of the Tree of Knowledge, Adam and Eve can now differentiate happiness, from sorrow, and hatred from love.  Had they not ate from the Tree of Knowledge, perhaps their only knowledge would have been of happiness, and love  Also, if they did not eat of the Tree of Knowledge, would their current knowledge of happiness be perceived, or real  

     The observation we can make about Genesis, is that Adam and Eves newfound knowledge was more damning, than blissful.   Was being blissfully ignorant a higher level of enlightenment for them, then after they ate of the Tree of Life  Or were they more enlightened after If being enlightened means knowledgeable enough to be just, compassionate and resourceful, then they were better off before their deed.  But now, they have a reality that is perceived and real, because they can perceive their new knowledge, as well as feel it.  So the question here is not whether Adam and Eve lived in a perception rather than reality, as in the Allegory of the Cave, because they were not forced to believe an illusion.  The question is, is it more important for a person to have the freedom to be able to live in a perceived reality, than a real one (httpwww.philosophypages.comhy2h.htm)  By exploring the Allegory of the Cave and Genesis, we can draw the conclusion that it is more important to have the  choice of how much knowledge we want to posses, rather than having someone else make that decision for us.