I am sure that many are aware of the allegory of the cave and its implications on reality, just for a quick reminder here is the story: "In the allegory, Plato likens people untutored in the Theory of Forms to prisoners chained in a cave, unable to turn their heads. All they can see is the wall of the cave. Behind them burns a fire. Between the fire and the prisoners there is a parapet, along which puppeteers can walk. The puppeteers, who are behind the prisoners, hold up puppets that cast shadows on the wall of the cave. The prisoners are unable to see these puppets, the real objects, that pass behind them. What the prisoners see and hear are shadows and echoes cast by objects that they do not see. Such prisoners would mistake appearance for reality. They would think the things they see on the wall (the shadows) were real; they would know nothing of the real causes of the shadows.\t [SIZE=13.3333330154419px]Plato's point is that the prisoners would be mistaken. For they would be taking the terms in their language to refer to the [/SIZE]shadows[SIZE=13.3333330154419px] that pass before their eyes, rather than (as is correct, in Plato's view) to the real things that cast the shadows.[/SIZE]\t [SIZE=13.3333330154419px]When the prisoners are released, they can turn their heads and see the real objects.[/SIZE] Resource: http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/cave.htm --- Now with that reminder I come with my point, as a prisoner leaves the realm he once knew as reality and enters the outside world he would perceive the "true" nature of reality but this in itself is subjective as well being that as they first experienced a reality based on shadows being shown from a fire behind them we can link the first reality the prisoner experienced with the new reality the prisoner experiences outside of the cave. Just as there were shadows in the cave the sun as well illuminates the surrounding world the prisoner would see and even though this may be considered the ultimate reality being that the outside is a representation of our world the sun still casts shadows. This is a point that not many interpret from the allegory of the cave. As we experience the world we live in we are confined to our own reality and interpretation on said reality based on our shared experience with others in this same reality and that of our own perception as to what said "shadows" mean. This question asks for you to question your own experience, introspection is key to realize that our own reality is possibly subjective. There are examples of this throughout the world as not only do people have their own set of beliefs varying from culture to culture, and even today we still see remnants of it as there are world beliefs that are outdated still held to this day. Of course this is only my view of the allegory of the cave and it is one that I do not see presented as frequently when questioning our own interpretation of reality and what it implies about our selves.
It seems there are a couple of ways of looking at it. What you say is logical. The person who left the cave may have very well simply entered into a bigger "cave". I'd still make it a point to draw the distinction between the caves, because while the real world may also just be a "cave" it is still more true than the first one, which actually was nothing but a cave. The first cave was merely subject to the shadows of the world outside. As such it was a lot smaller in general and featured far less information to observe. In that scenario, even if the world outside of the cave is just another illusion, I think it is important to notate that a higher truth was still achieved by just reaching the outside. The fact that that truth itself may be an offshoot of something bigger, should not cause us to diminish the value of leaving the original cave. Another way of interpreting the allegory is not with a literal cave or literal outside world. The process can also be understood as to demonstrate stepping out of falsehood-period into truth-period. Simply focusing on pointing out that there is a process to be had in order for someone to see the actual true nature of things and that deception and misinterpretation will be all along the way. What that truth is and how one gets there is then obviously up for debate, and mankind has been having that debate since recorded time.
That's deep, but the prisoner would have to be brainwashed in order to think there can be shadows without something providing shade from the fire's heat and light. If the prisoner is thinking clearly then they know the puppeteer is intentionally tormenting them, I would question why is the puppeteer doing this because they gain nothing from taking prisoners for the sole purpose of demonstrating shadow manipulation in a pseudo-magic trick.
I think the prisoner allegory assumes this cave is the only reality they have ever known. So you couldn't say it's brainwashing when there was no higher knowledge of which to wash their brains. Good point OP but isn't that the natural conclusion of the allegory, I mean isn't the conclusion you've reached the point of the allegory? It's been a while since I read it I could be completely wrong.
The truth about the shadow is it's the only thing keeping the people out of the fire. If the fire is the sun, the cave is the universe, and the location is earth then the shadows are the ceilings which prevent mankind from being exposed to constant sunlight or starlight.
The mistake here is using the word "reality" The idea that you aren't seeing reality is wrong. The shadows are real. They are Real figments caused by real things. A better way to look at it is, ammount of information. We can see eachother, but not the cells that make us. I wouldn't argue we aren't really seeing reality -yuri
I think all perception is indirect. When we see or hear something we are only able to perceive the light and sound waves that come from them. This is comparable to the shadows in the cave.