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Introduction
A famous quote from the Greek philosopher, Socrates, states that “the unexamined life is not worth living,” suggesting that an individual should examine his life in order to have a meaningful life. While philosophers shared different opinions on what leads people to a happy life, they all admitted that an individual’s additional knowledge or examination of his own life could benefit his succession and happiness. There are two significant concepts from the works of ancient philosophers Plato and Aristotle that discuss the sources of knowledge and its correlation with happiness and meaningful life.
Main body
The first concept introduced by Plato is the Allegory of the Cave. Plato’s allegory was constructed to illustrate what it feels like to be a philosopher or a man enlightened with knowledge and share it with other people. It predominantly explores the nature of people’s ignorance and tendency to avoid becoming more knowledgeable. However, there also are many ways in which the concept could be redefined and analyzed.
Plato’s allegory of the cave captures the humans’ natural tendency to keep things in control in the standard order without recklessly following new ideas. By emphasizing how the freed prisoner was unable to see clearly in the dark, Plato’s concept also touches on the subject of people’s fear of the unknown and rejection of differences of all sorts (Plato 6). Even though the execution of Plato’s idea is borderline primitive, it emphasizes the wild reflexes left in the minds of modern people from their ancestors, such as the instinct of self-preservation. As intellectual beings, people should recognize and differentiate dangers from the knowledge and gradually introduce the latter to their minds to maintain a meaningful life. Therefore, an individual must examine their own life to gain knowledge and escape the limitations imposed by an imaginary cave in an individual mind.
Another valuable idea in terms of knowledge and its nature is the idea of the High-Minded Man introduced by Aristotle. The concept of a High-Minded man is close to Aristotle’s understanding of success and the contribution of different virtues to an individual’s happiness. By observing people and society, Aristotle determined that happy or successful people possess similar traits that he identified as virtues. He suggested that cultivating virtues in other people and especially young children, would benefit them in life by making them happier and more likely to succeed. According to Aristotle’s perceptions, virtues locate in between two opposing negative qualities or vices. Therefore, in his description of the High-Minded Man, Aristotle addresses the same concept of finding the right balance, or the golden mean, between two opposing vices.
Comparing the two writings shows that both philosophers shared similar views on the importance of knowledge and development for humankind but chose different focus areas. Plato’s idea follows his perception of knowledge as the truth about the structure of the world. In other words, Plato believed that in attaining knowledge, people are taking a step forward from the old orders into the search for the source of greater things, just like the sun that provides light. Plato’s concept does not address different aspects, and it is up to the reader or the listener to decide what would have happened if all people in the cave were released simultaneously. Therefore, in its initial meaning that illustrates society’s ignorance, Plato’s idea relates more to the great scientific discoveries.
However, in a wider understanding of societal issues, such as the limitation of human perception, Plato’s idea suggests open-mindedness as the source of knowledge and success. On the other hand, Aristotle’s work demonstrates how open-mindedness benefits people in their daily activities as it supports the golden mean of virtues and guides the “one who claims much and deserves much” (Aristotle 1). Aristotle’s perception of life examination suggests that people develop and achieve knowledge, happiness, and success by cultivating virtuous habits. While Plato’s theory explores the point of view of only one person, Aristotle’s work suggests that everyone should try to become a high-minded man as it forms a foundation for society’s overall development. Therefore, Plato’s allegory of the cave defines society as an opposition to the knowledgeable philosopher, while Aristotle’s concept of the high-minded man presents the knowledgeable one as the model society should follow.
Both Plato’s and Aristotle’s articles could be applied differently to real-life events. As suggested earlier, Plato’s allegory, in the narrow sense, fits the overall society’s resistance to progress in a scientific or industrial context. For example, Plato’s explanation fits the case of Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian doctor who discovered the importance of hand sanitization and hygiene in midwifery practice (Flynn). Semmelweis was criticized by the medical community for his ideas, as no one was willing to believe that doctors were guilty of the death of their patients (Flynn). As Plato stated that seeing the light after spending an entire life in darkness will hurt people’s eyes, he also meant that discovering the truth after years of ignorance could be terrifying (3). The wider understanding of Plato’s allegory suggests that people should not force limitation of perception on themselves and others; therefore, in my life, I always try to avoid stereotypes and utilize an open-minded approach. I support Plato’s suggestion that freeing the mind from unnecessary information such as prejudice and judgementalism benefits an individual’s development by cultivating a more creative way of thinking.
Aristotle’s concept is more applicable to the reality of modern society and people’s tendency to analyze famous successful personalities in an attempt to define what qualities or virtues contribute to their success. Overall, Aristotle’s idea of a High-minded man presents qualities valued in society that support an individual’s moral and intellectual development. I find Aristotle’s description of the High-minded man overly detailed in some aspects and lacking details in others. Therefore, while it is more relatable to real-life than Plato’s allegory, Aristotle’s description follows commonly acknowledged virtues. In my experience, people’s sudden decisions to start being more of a High-Minded man cannot be successful without deep inner motivation or strong reasoning. Thus, I suggest that becoming a High-minded man is a continuous process that possibly involves more than just possessing certain virtues. Even though in real life I always try to find the right balance between vices in being my best self, I find that without a strong motivational component that establishes the sense of self-worth, High-Mindedness presents a combination of civility and goodness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both works emphasize that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” Plato’s allegory of the cave suggests that spending life without showing interest in the real nature of things is similar to living in darkness without any opportunity for development. Therefore, Plato’s concept explains how expanding the individual’s boundaries of perception is necessary for society’s progress. Aristotle’s idea of a High-Minded man suggests that a person must examine himself and his life to develop and gain knowledge about the world and its place in it.
Works Cited
Aristotle. The High-Minded Man, n.d. Web.
Flynn, Meagan. “The Man Who Discovered That Unwashed Hands Could Kill and Was Ridiculed for It.” The Washington Post, Web.
Plato. The Allegory of the Cave. Translated by Thomas Sheehan, n.d. Web.
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