Socrates` The Cave Essay, Research Paper

The cave

I think that the idea of the cave and one man breaking lose from the chains is a good representation of the select few in the world. It takes great courage to break away from the group and venture out on your own. Once you find what you are looking for do you have a choice of weather or not you should go back to the group? If you found the one thing that could explain all of life?s mysteries would you keep it all to you?re self or would you want to share it with the world? Personally I would have to share it with at least one person. This is the exact way that Socrates felt, if he didn?t share his knowledge with the masses his soul would impure. To Socrates there was nothing worse then a damaged soul. What makes one want to break his or her chains and venture out into the unknown? Is it the search for truth or is it just the feeling of being dissatisfied with what you have already? Is it a selfish act? I don?t think that its selfish, but more along the lines of moving man kind forward. If one is searching for the truth for purely selfish reasons then that person will never find what they are looking for. Without having someone to share that knowledge with, that person will never know if they have truly found it. On the other hand if that person does bring back the truth to those in the cave and they can?t except it, then have you done it for nothing? In either case finding truth is both selfish and selfless, in that truth is not only knowing but also excepting.