Plato Cave Intro

8/4/2019 Plato Cave Intro

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Sense Perception and Plato's

Cave

In search of theshadow of a duck . . . .. .


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Two IB students walking . . . .

Year 12 says: that's poop! Don't step in it!! Year 13 says: that's not poop! Year 12 says: yes it is! Year 13 says: no it isn't . . . let's smell it.

They both smell it.

Year 12 says: eeewww! I told you it's poop! Year 13 says: no it's not. Year 12 says: yes it is! Year 13 says: no it isn't . . . let's taste it.

So the Year 12 tastes it and shouts:

EEEEEWWWW Disgusting! It IS poop!

Year 12 says: I'm glad we didn't step in it!


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What happened ?

The Year 12 got trickedbecause he didn't trust hissenses (a WoK)!

The Year 13 tricked him (usinglanguage a WoK) because hehad a higher level ofunderstanding . . . . . . after ayear of ToK!


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What are senses good for?

Organizing the environmentaround you:

You know not to step in front of

the speeding bus! You know not to stick your

hand into boiling water You can recognize your best

friend

You can hear the fire alarm . . .


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What are senses not good for?

Understanding the world beyond yourimmediate environment

Distinguishing between appearance

and reality

For these difficult questions, we need:PHILOSOPHY

One of the most difficult questions inphilosophy is:


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How do we distinguish between

th

ings as th

ey appear and th

ingsas they really are?

Or:

What is real?


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Plato was a Greek philosopher

who thought deeply about reality

In his Allegory

Of the Cave(The Republic,Book VII)


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Behold! Human beings living in anunderground cave!

Prisoners are chained (from birth) deep inside acave (no natural light)

They cannot even move their heads

They must look ahead at shadows on the wall The shadows are created by passing beings The beings pass in front of a fire The prisoners see only the shadows, and hear

only the echos Eventually, they believe the shadows are real


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The truthwould be literally

nothing but the shadows of theimages.

They might see the shadow of a dog and yell:


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They might see the shadow of a cat and yell:


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They might see the shadow of a duck and yell:


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The task (30 minutes)

Write a script for a 4-minute (max) playillustrating Plato's Cave

Use the paper given (one side) you will turn it

in Memorize the script and practice the play Perform the play in front of your peers We are especially interested in the dialogue

between the person who has seen the light andthe chained prisoners

Plato Cave Intro

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Transcript of Plato Cave Intro