Plato: Justice Both Ways - Essay Example

“The Allegory of the Cave” is taken from “The Republic” where he deftly handles the lack of knowledge of human beings and he elicits his answer from the mouth of Socrates his mentor. In this particular piece of writing, Plato cuts a clear distinction between knowledge of reality and shadows of illusion (ignorance) To portray this fact he takes the example of a cave in which human beings are chained to a wall with only a tiny light that casts shadowy images which some of the inhabitants take for reality. Those who are freed from the cave have a true knowledge of reality. Plato’s masterly use of imagery of light to depict knowledge and darkness to depict ignorance gives his essay the excellence it deserves, making it one of the most memorable ones.

In his explanation of “absolute knowledge” and the way it affects the “shadows of images of justice”, he gives us another example of a person who is asked to look straight at the light. In doing so, the person is dazzled and feels pain and hence is unable to see the reality for what it is.

But if his eyes get accustomed to the light, his vision would be clearer and he is moving on from seeing the shadowy images to seeing the real objects. Finally, he is able to gaze upon the sun in all its brightness and judge himself rightly.

He would then be in a position to look back on his fellow prisoners who still live in the shadows of images and feel pity for them. This is what Plato means by “absolute justice”. According to Plato, it is better to suffer anything, than to live a miserable life filled with false notions and ideas. If a person lives a life in the shadows of ignorance, he would never learn the realities in life. But on the other hand, if his vision is not blocked or marred by the shadows of images, his vision would be so clear and he would be able to lead others out of their ignorance.

In other words, if a person attains this beatific vision, he is unable to draw himself down to a lower level of desire or human affairs. If in case he brings himself down to the evil state of man and is compelled to fight about the images of justice, it would not be surprising.

In relation to Plato’s view on shadows of justice and absolute justice, I too feel strongly that if a person has reached the level of absolute justice, he would not ridicule his friend or fellow member so easily, if he finds him struggling in the shadows of the images of justice. On the other hand, he would be in a better position to question his stance and lend a helping hand to help him see the light by removing his shadows of ignorance.