Reference no: EM133613000

Assignment:

Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" from the Republic is one of the most important passages in all of Western philosophy. In it, Plato explains his dualist metaphysics and theory of knowledge by telling the story of a man whose reality initially consists of nothing but shadows on a wall, but who gradually comes to know the nature of what is truly real. The topics Plato addresses in the cave story still fascinate us today, and they are common themes in television and film. For example, many people, including both philosophers and film critics, have remarked that The Matrix is a modern-day equivalent to the Allegory of the Cave, since one of its central characters, Neo, is given a choice between remaining in a world of shadows (and believing it to be real) or learning the true nature of reality. (I've posted a link to a clip of this scene in the Week 6 module; you should watch it if you're not familiar with the film.)

With this in mind, for this week's post, I'd like you to answer the following questions:

1) Which pill do you think Plato would take if he were in Neo's position, and why? Make sure you back up your answer by explaining which specific aspects of Plato's metaphysics make you think he would make the choice you're claiming he would make.

2) Which pill would you take, and why?