The Meaning of Philosophy

Have you ever found yourself deep in thoughts? What were you thinking? Do you
intentionally take the time to think about things like the track and strand that you would like to
take in senior high school and the program that you would like to pursue in college? What about
reflection? Do you reflect about the decisions that you have made or the questions that have
come in your mind?

The activity of thinking/reflecting even about the trivial things in our generation is not as
popular as it had been before. It is because the advent of modern technologies that made life
more convenient also brought about many distractions, filling our day to day living and thus
leaving little room for reflection. The instant gratification of answers and solutions that we get
from the internet and other technologies condition most of us to rely on them which results to
less stimulation of the mind.

On the other hand, philosophy as a discipline aims to guide and train students to
become virtuous, creative, and critical thinkers. But what is philosophy?

On a book published by Ramos (2016), she mentioned that Ferriols (2001), a Filipino
philosopher, proposes a simple way for us to understand what philosophy is. “Like all activities,
philosophizing is something which is easier to do than to define. After you have begun to
engage in this activity, you might want to try to define it yourself.” Of course, we can still begin
with a definition of what philosophy is something that we can draw out from a dictionary or from
quotes circulated in the net. Doing so, however, would only make us understand philosophy
from the perspective of an outsider, no different from a student learning about the life of a lion in
the Sahara through a TV show while comfortable couched in the living room.

Etymology:

• Philo means love.

• Sophia means wisdom

This means that philosophy is the love of wisdom. The term philosophy came from the
Greek philosopher and mathematician named Pythagoras (c. 570 - c. 490 BC). According to
Pythagoras, there are three types or classes of people who come to watch the ancient Olympic
Games. The first class of people is called the lovers of gain for they are after the profit that they
could get from the event. The second class of people is called the lovers of honor for they are
after the glory that they could get from competing in the games. Lastly, the third class of people
is called the lovers of knowledge for they are those who want to arrive at the truth from watching
the games. The last class of people pertains to the lovers of wisdom which is the meaning of
philosophy. It is the primary goal of philosophy-to gain wisdom; to arrive at the truth.

Although the word philosophy was first used by Pythagoras, there were already people
who deserve the title of being philosopher as they dedicated their lives in the pursuit of
knowledge, of wisdom. Despite the etymology of the term, many philosophers and scholars
have opposing views as to the real essence of the term or meaning of the word. Moreover,
some philosophers would argue that philosophy's definition is also a problem in the field of
philosophy.
 The Subject Matter of Philosophy

One's own unfamiliarity about the meaning of philosophy would not reduce him/her to a
person who has no philosophy at all in life. According to some, though unconscious of these
facts, we have our own philosophy in life. This could be a consequence of the things that
directly or indirectly influenced us. Our philosophy in life is also a result of a prolonged exposure
to, and reflection and analysis of different factors that contribute to how we see the things in the
world.

If we will revisit further the period before the term philosophy was coined, we will find out
that most philosophers in those times focused mainly on reality. As time passed by, the focus or
the aspect that philosophers engaged in encompassed several topics. Today, reflections and
meditations that local and foreign philosophers made on various subjects still influence the
different aspects of the modern world: medicine, education, politics, et cetera.

Philosophy as an academic discipline helps one to explore and deal with the
fundamental questions of life including reality, existence, and knowledge, among others. Thus,
in this subject, we will be exposed to the perspectives of philosophers on different subjects.
These views may challenge one's own belief on a particular matter; thus, it is important to be
critical and analytical in studying them.

Pilosopo as Philosopher
In the Philippines, the term "pilosopo" connotes the image of a comical, and sometimes
annoying character. It is often used to describe someone who plays with words, or twists
commonsensical reasoning in order to come across as funny. Sometimes the pilosopo is also
described as "KSP" because their incessant questioning gives the impression that they are
desperate for attention.

Is a pilosopo what we mean by a philosopher? The answer can either be yes or no.

• No, a philosopher is not a pilosopo because he/she does not play with words, or twists
reasoning just for the fun of it.
• Yes, a pilosopo is a philosopher if his/her intention in playing with words and overturning
usual forms of reasoning is in order to view things in a different way. Sometimes, it is
when you try to look at things upside-down or inside-out that you discover things that
would give you a sense of wonder and astonishment.
• Yes, a philosopher is a pilosopo if he/she raises questions often with the intention of
showing off that he/she is singularly smart and inquisitive.
• Yes, a pilosopo is a philosopher if the questions he/she asks stem from a genuine
confusion, astonishment and wonder. Most important of all, those questions are personal
because they deeply touch on or has a bearing on the philosopher's understanding of
the meaning of life.
What Makes a Question Philosophical?
Personal and Philosophical Questions

In the previous lesson, we have learned the meaning and the distinguishing
characteristics of a true philosopher. From that lesson, we realized that we do not have to be
weird looking in order to think philosophically. Anyone can be as wise as Socrates for as long as
we admit and embrace our own ignorance. If anyone can be as wise as Socrates, it means that
anyone can think philosophically.

Read the following questions below:

• What should I buy?

• What am I going to wear today?
• Does these pants suit me?

The questions above are only some of those that we ask ourselves daily. Philosophizing
often start with simple questions like the daily questions we ask to ourselves. As we continue to
ponder about these queries, we notice that they sometimes give birth to more questions.
Complex questions often stem from the simple ones. Once we encounter difficult questions, it
gives us a feeling of unease. Corpuz et al. (2016) defines unease as a feeling of inner
discomfort that comes from the experience of not being able to find immediate answers to our
questions.

The simple questions previously are not yet examples of philosophical questions.
Questions that can be answered immediately and have definite answers are examples
of personal questions. However, they can still cause unease when we find them hard to
answer. For example, a simple question about what you will prepare for the dinner may give you
an inner discomfort when you find yourself unable to decide on what to cook. Remember, a
person's situation is one of the contributing factors that will affect him/her in finding solutions to
questions.

When the questions that we ask ourselves go beyond the daily issues of life, beyond the
simple matters that we encounter, they bring about a feeling of unease called metaphysical
unease. According to the French philosopher Gabriel Marcel (1889-1973), this form of unease
is described as metaphysical because the scope of the questions we ask cover something
broader and deeper than what is immediately before us, beyond what we physically see.

Aside from simple questions, we also encounter complex ones. Have you ever been
overwhelmed by a lot of questions lately? We sometimes find ourselves helpless when we could
not find the answers to our questions. Many people, as a result of the questions that seem
impossible to answer, drop them off and get on with their lives. In this generation, we become
used to finding instant answers to our problems; consequently, some no longer engage in
meditation and intentional reflections. Pondering about the questions of life may seem like a
"waste of time" for other, but having the courage to face them no matter how hard they are to
answer will give us a sense of openness. This is one of the marks of a true philosopher. The
activity of philosophizing is a journey and should therefore require commitment -commitment to
pursue finding answers regarding it no matter how hard or painful the process will be.
Problems of Philosophy

Corpuz et al. (2016) encourages us to reflect on the following words of Bertrand Russell:

The value of philosophy is, in fact, to be sought largely in its very uncertainty. The man
who has no tincture of philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the prejudices derived from
common sense, from the habitual beliefs of his age or his nation, and from convictions which
have grown up in his mind without the co-operation or consent of his deliberate reason. To such
a man the world tends to become definite, finite, obvious; common objects rouse no questions,
and unfamiliar possibilities are contemptuously rejected. As soon as we begin to philosophize,
on the contrary, we find, ... that even the most everyday things lead to problems to which only
very incomplete answers can be given. Philosophy, though unable to tell us with certainty what
is the true answer to the doubts which it raises, is able to suggest many possibilities which
enlarge our thoughts and free them from the tyranny of custom. Thus, while diminishing our
feeling of certainty as to what things are, it greatly increases our knowledge as to what they may
be; it removes the somewhat arrogant dogmatism of those who have never traveled into the
region of liberating doubt, and it keeps alive our sense of wonder by showing familiar things in
an unfamiliar aspect.

We are informed through the words of Bertrand Russell that philosophy will not give us a
guarantee to the answers to our questions. Philosophy will not give us certainty to the results of
our reflection which is why some believe that one's engagement in philosophy is futile.
However, it is importance of philosophy is not in the assurance or certainty that it could give to
us in our questions, but the lessons that we could get along the journey of finding answers to
our questions.

One of the goals of philosophy is to remove the "arrogant dogmatism" as described by

Russell. Dogmatism as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary is "positiveness in assertion or
opinion especially when unwarranted or arrogant" A dogmatic person is somewhat who
supports and fights for a belief that he/she does not know full well. There are a lot of people who
have become blind followers of some movements or groups. These people have never doub ted
and criticized what they believe in. Philosophy, on the other hand, invites us to break the
arrogant dogmatism that imprisons us. It paves the way for us to explore, discover, and question
the beliefs we are holding on to. The process of philosophizing can be painful as it will let you
challenge your beliefs, but the result will liberate us from the bondage of blind obedience.
Partial Point of View and Holistic Perspective

Philosophy and its Holistic Approach

When a philosopher's line of thinking goes beyond the concern of everyday life to a
higher level, it can be described as abstractive. This is primarily done in order to see the entirety
or the wholeness of a thing.

Have you ever been in a high place like this? It may be on an airplane, on top of a tall building,
in a parachute, or anything that makes you see things in full view. Seeing things from afar is
different from seeing it in a short distance. When you are on the ground, your sight is limited:
you only see the facade of the buildings, roads, trees that may hinder you to see what is on the
other side, et cetera. Perhaps you have experienced wondering how to cross a road or a river
and how you could reach a particular destination. But seeing things from above would give you
a broader insight or perspective how to get to a location you want to visit. This experience and
realization is the same with having a holistic perspective in life.

Your situation on the ground with limited insight or knowledge about something is what
we can connect to having a partial point-of-view. This is referring to the view when one does
not have a full grasp of an idea and situation. It is said that there are always three sides to every
story: my version of the story; your version of the story; and others' version of the story. Having
a limited knowledge about something is the mark of partial point-of-view.

On the other hand, your situation above where you can see things clearly is what we can
connect to having a holistic perspective. This refers to the view when one sees the big picture
of a thing. This is the goal of philosophy. Philosophers take time to reflect and meditate in order
to see things holistically.

Like the story of the Six Blind Men and the Elephant, sometimes people find themselves
holding onto something that does not give them the whole idea of a thing. Their own ignorance
and sometimes unwillingness to know the other side of the coin cause them to be narrow -
minded. As a result, disputes on several subjects arise as people are reluctant to weigh and
consider the views of others.

The first philosopher considered in the history came from the ancient Greek civilization.
The first man to be considered as a philosopher from the ancient Greek civilization is Thales (c.
624-545 B.C.). Western philosophy is said to begin with Thales of Miletus. Scientists of this
generation use modern technologies to find answers to their questions about the things of this
world. Ancient philosophers like Thales, however, used their minds and observation to find the
answers to their questions. According to Roque Ferriols, a Filipino philosopher, Thales and
other ancient philosophers had an insight. He defined insight as seeing with the
mind. Philosophers of the old usually pursued answering the questions about reality and the
origin of things. Through gazing at the sky and observing the harmony in the heavenly bodies,
he concluded that everything is connected and related because all that exist contains water. His
argued that since water exists in different forms such as vapor and ice, he concluded that all
things that exist are connected because everything contains water which may be in different
forms.

Do you think Thales' deduction is still relevant or true today? One of the goals of
philosophy as a subject is to guide us learn how the minds of philosopher’s work. Their way of
thinking will give us a hint on how to reflect and inquire philosophically. Though Thales' answer
to his question may be regarded as "crazy" or "absurd" today, his way of thinking, attitude, and
resolve will help us value the activity of philosophizing.
Branch of Philosophy (ETHICS)
Are you conscious of your actions? How many times do you think before making a
decision? What is your basis for making a good one? All these questions pertaining to the
human conduct (the acceptable and unacceptable) are the focus of the branch of philosophy
that you are going to learn today.

What is ethics?

Greek word – ethos Meaning - character.

Definition:

Ethics, also known as "moral philosophy", is concerned about the human character and
conduct. Its study deals with the standards of what is right and what is wrong applicable to
human behavior. Aside from the introduction of one's self to the various standards and norms
set by different institutions/countries, this branch of philosophy also engages us to weigh,
consider, and act upon that which have desirable implications to the welfare of many.

Ethics is also called prescriptive as it counsels us what to do rather than describe to us

what we do. Philosophy in ethics will more likely compel us to challenge existing norms,
standards, laws, and even our own moral principles.

Reflections, Meditations, and Conversations that Rocked the World:

What Constitutes a Human Person?

For Socrates, to be happy, a person has to live a virtuous life. Virtue is not something to
be taught or acquired through education, but rather, it is merely an awakening of the seeds of
good deeds that lay dormant in the mind and heart of a person. Knowing what is in the mind
and heart of a human being is achieved through self-knowledge. Thus, knowledge means that
one does not only have theoretical or speculative, but a practical one. Practical knowledge
means that one does not only know the rules of right living, but one lives them.

Hence, for Socrates, true knowledge means wisdom, which in turn, means virtue. The
Greek word arête, which we translate as virtue, seems originally to have been associated with
valor in battle and may be connected with the name of the Greek god of war, Ares, whom we
know better under his Roman name, Mars. Both the Greek word arête and its English
equivalent, virtue, have connotations of machismo and manliness. So, when Socrates came to
divine virtue, he thought of courage as one of its prime components, and he came up with the
proposition that courage, therefore, as virtue is also knowledge.

Remember that Socrates' notion or concept of right and wrong, though some adhere to
it, is not at all universal in a way that many still believe otherwise.

It has been said that every person has a concept of right and wrong; some theorists and
scholars believe that a person’s concept of right and wrong is an influence of his/her immediate
environment (family, school, church, religion, etc.). However, a person’s concept of what is good
and what is bad may be baseless or not logical as some are merely products of tradition,
superstition, or a person’s prejudice. Nevertheless, one’s engagement in the study, meditations
and reflection in ethics in philosophy will be a guiding star to an understanding and analysis of a
logical concept of right and wrong.

Aesthetics
"Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder." Have you heard this saying before? Do you
know what it means? Do you agree with it?

Have you ever been emotionally stimulated after watching a movie or listening to a
song? "That's the power of art," many said. Do you like art? Whether you are an art enthusiast
or not, we can all agree that some form of art have a plethora of effects (good or bad) to us.

The two objects above are pictures of two different paintings. Take a moment and look at the
pictures above and answer the questions below as a form of analysis and reflection.

• Do you think you could tell which one is beautiful and which one is not?
• Do you think you could tell which one is more artistically done?
• What is/are your basis/bases in judging them according to beauty and artistry?

The painting on the left side is an abstract art by Jose Joya who is known as an abstract
expressionist in the Philippines and is awarded as the National Artist for Visual Arts. His work on
the left side is entitled "Space Transfiguration." Abstract arts that have their bases on the natural
forms are more likely to be understood and recognized than those that are purely abstract.

The painting on the right side is entitled "Planting Rice with Mayon Volcano" by the
National Artist for Painting Fernando Amorsolo who is known as a portraitist and a painter of
rural Philippine landscapes. Unlike the work of Joya above, Amorsolo's work is recognizable
and perhaps easier to judge.

Philosophy, as a discipline, is also useful in this matter. The subject of beauty, taste, and
art is one of its concerns as well. As a matter of fact, one of its main branch which is called
aesthetics centers on it.

Aesthetics

Etymology:

Greek word - aisthētikos

Meaning - sensitive or perceptive

In this branch of philosophy, the philosopher is concerned with the analysis of

experience and the idea of what is beautiful. The analysis is directed toward the nature of
aesthetic judgment, standards of beauty, and the objectivity of these standards in response to
the questions raised about the meaning of aesthetic experience.
 Aesthetics is the science of the beautiful in its various manifestations—including the
sublime, comic, tragic, pathetic, and ugly. To experience aesthetics, therefore, means whatever
experience has relevance to art, whether the experience be that of the creative artist or of
appreciation. As a branch of philosophy, students should consider the importance of aesthetics
because of the following:

The establishment of the criteria in judging beauty and art is also one of the concerns of
aesthetics. Many believe the fact that what is beautiful to you may not be beautiful for others;
thus, aesthetics studies and explores the subjectivity and objectivity in the realm of art. Whether
you are more inclined to creating art or just criticizing/appreciating them, aesthetics can help
you to having an even broader perspective as you will be immersed to different
views/philosophies by famous philosophers albeit some of them have opposing claims as to
what art should be and should not be.

Epistemology and Logic

EPISTEMOLOGY

Have you ever doubted what you claimed to know full well? Can you prove the validity of
what you claim to know? How do you know that you really know what you think you know?
These are only some of the questions that can be addressed in this section.

Etymology:

Greek word - epistēmē

Meaning - Knowledge

Various problems concerning knowledge concern epistemology. One of the problems

that this branch seeks to address is the origin of knowledge. According to philosophers, there
are two sources/origins of knowledge based on how you acquire them.

Two Types of the Origin of Knowledge

1. Empirical - this refers to the knowledge acquired through the human senses,
namely: sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. The method that states that general ideas are
formed through the analysis and examination of the external facts is called induction. The view
that true knowledge is only attained through sensory experience is called empiricism and those
who adhere to this are called empiricists. This view is mostly shared by scientists and people
who are more inclined to believe only things that are proven by external facts.

2. Rational - this refers to the knowledge acquired through the human reason. The
method that states that it is more important to find a general law according to which particular
facts can be understood or judged is called deduction. The view that true knowledge must
spring from reason which is the authority rather than experience and emotion is called
rationalism and those who adhere to this are called rationalists.
 While the former is mostly shared by scientists, the latter is mostly shared by
philosophers whose methods in acquiring knowledge or answer to their inquiries depend mostly
by reason or reflection.

According to the famous essayist Sir Francis Bacon, "Knowledge is power." However,
knowledge deprived of application is no power at all; hence, a newer school under epistemology
emerged which is called pragmatism. Its proponents believe that this is the true test of
knowledge as it is tested by its practical consequence. Epistemology as a branch of philosophy
is broad as it encompasses the concerns regarding the nature, source, limitations, kinds, and
validity of knowledge.

LOGIC

Have you ever had an argument with someone? Did it go well? Many people have the
wrong notion that argument means raising your voice and pouring out too much emotion in
order to win it. Argument, though it is an exchange of opposing views, could be done in a
peaceful manner. Logic, as a branch of philosophy, explores the matter of argumentation. Let us
learn how it will help us to better engage in an argument or in any form of reflection and inquiry.

Etymology:

Greek word - logos

Meaning - thought, reason, rule

It is the branch of philosophy that looks into whether there are rules or principles that
govern reasoning. As a study of reasoning, logic incorporates the analysis of the methods of
deductions and induction to provide the rules on how people ought to think logically. Knowing
the rules of logic gives a person the techniques to create sound arguments and avoid fallacious
reasoning. Logic also increases one’s ability to reason correctly and distinguish irrational
reasoning.

You will learn more about fallacies on the next chapter. For now, it is of utmost
importance to learn how to dissect a statement whether it is valid or not, so you will be able to
formulate a reasonable response or claim about something.

There are two types of reasoning or logic: deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning.
Many got the notion that the difference between the two is the order or line of reasoning which
are general to specific and specific to general. Although this is true, logicians would add that the
difference between the two has also something to do with how strong the creator of an
argument wants the support or evidence to be.

Since logic deals with arguments and reasoning, it is of utmost importance to familiarize
yourself with the common elements of an argument. Every argument consists of proposition,
premise, and conclusion. An argument is a collection of statements some of which serve to give
a support or evidence. A proposition is a statement which can either be true or false. A premise
is a statement or proposition which serves to provide a support or evidence. Before giving a
response about a claim on a particular subject, you must examine the argument critically. The
process of reasoning in which a new belief or conclusion is formed based on a proof or
evidence is called inference. By having the knowledge regarding all these, it will be easier for
you to identify whether an argument is formed deductively or inductively.

We consider an argument as deductive if the one who makes the argument intends to
make the premises strong enough to support or provide evidence that it is impossible for the
conclusion to be false. In short, in deductive reasoning, if the premise is true, the conclusion
must be true as well. Note that someone's claim or argument about something does not
necessarily have to be true. For example, a person who wants to lie about something has to
make his/her premises strong enough to support his/her conclusion. Though the argument in
reality is not true, if he/she succeeds in coming up with good premises (seemingly true) that
provide evidence for the conclusion (though lie but seemed true because of strong premises),
he/she will get the support of others.

Example (Deductive Reasoning):

All humans are mortal.

Mark is a human.

Therefore, Mark is mortal.

The example above started with the general rule or idea which later added a specific
example of that rule that led to the conclusion. We can see how logical and valid this argument
is based on the carefully chosen statements. However, not because an argument is valid means
that it is true.

Example of a valid but untrue argument:

All white-haired persons are grandparents.

My neighbor, Pedro, is white-haired.

Therefore, he his already a grandparent.

By following the trail of thoughts, we can see how logical or valid the statement is. It is
said that deductive conclusion is certain provided that the premises are true. However, if the
generalization is wrong, the conclusion of the argument may be logical, but it may also be
untrue.

Although it is true that inductive logic works from specific to general, some would add
that inductive reasoning works when the creator of the argument intents to come up with strong
premises to provide an evidence or support for the likely truth of the conclusion. In short, if you
succeed in coming up with premises that are true, it will make it probable that the conclusion is
true, though it may be untrue. Moreover, we make many observations in inductive logic as it
follows a flow of reasoning from specific to general; we also discern a pattern, come up with an
generalization and then form an inference about it. Even if all the premises in an argument are
true, inductive reasoning allows for the conclusion to be false.

Example #1:
 Christine is the daughter of Juan Dela Cruz.

Michael and John are her siblings.

Therefore, they are all Dela Cruz.

Example #2:

Miguel is a shoplifter.

Miguel lives on Ipil street.

Therefore, those who live in Ipil street are shoplifters.

Look at the example above. It started with a very specific information. Though the
premises may be proven to be true, the conclusion may be proven to be false.

Remember all the following points regarding logic:

o All things about reasoning concern Logic.

o It is not the concern of logic to know what we know about a certain subject.

o Logic does not contribute anything to the content of our thoughts.

o It does not provide us knowledge of the world directly.

o its concern is the truth or the validity of our arguments regarding certain subjects.

Metaphysics
Metaphysics

Metaphysics is really an extension of a fundamental and necessary drive in every

human being to know what is real. The question is how to account for this unreal thing in terms
of what you can accept as real. Thus, a very big part of the metaphysician’s task is to explain
that part of our experience, which we call unreal in terms of what we call real.

In our everyday attempts to understand the world in terms of appearance and reality, we
try to make things comprehensible by simplifying or reducing the mass of things we call
appearance to a relatively fewer number of things we call reality.

For instance, for Thales, a Greek philosopher, everything is water. He claims that
everything we experience is water—which we call “reality.” Everything else Is “appearance.” We
then set out to try to explain everything else (appearance) in terms of water (reality). Clouds, for
example, or blocks of ice do not look like water, but they can be explained in terms of water.
When water evaporates, it becomes a cloud, and when water freezes, it becomes ice.
 Both the idealist and the materialist metaphysical theories are similarly based on
unobservable entities: mind and matter. We can see things made of matter such as a book or a
chair, but we cannot see the underlying matter itself. Although we can experience in our minds
thoughts, ideas, desires, and fantasies, we cannot observe or experience the mind itself that is
having these thoughts, ideas, and desires. It is this tendency to explain the observable in terms
of the unobservable that has given metaphysics a bad name to more down-to-earth
philosophers.

Plato, Socrates’ most famous students, is a good example of a metaphysician who

draws the sharpest possible contrast between reality and appearance. Nothing we experience in
the physical world with our five senses is real, according to Plato. Reality, in fact, is just the
opposite. It is unchanging, eternal, and immaterial, and can be detected only by the intellect.
Plato calls these realities as ideas of forms. These are meaning which universal, general terms
refer to, and they are also those things we are talking about when we discuss moral,
mathematical, and scientific ideas.

By What Values Shall I Live in the World?

Plato

This leads up to the famous simile of the cave or den. According to which, those who are
destitute of philosophy may be compared to prisoners in a cave who are only able to look in one
direction because they are bound and who have the fire behind them and the wall in front.
Between them and the wall, there is nothing; all that they see are shadows of themselves and
of objects behind them casted on the wall by the light of the fire. Inevitably, they regard these
shadows as real and have no notion of the objects to which they are due (Price 2000). At last, a
man succeeds in escaping from the cave to the light of the sun; for the first time, he sees real
things, and becomes aware that he had hitherto been deceived by shadows. He is the sort of
philosopher who is fit to become a guardian; he will feel it is his duty to those who were formerly
his fellow prisoners to go down again into the cave, instruct them as to the sun of truth and
show them the way up.

However, he will have difficulty in persuading them, because coming out of the sunlight, he
will see shadows clearly than they do and will seem to them stupider than before his escape.

Plato seeks to explain the difference between clear intellectual vision and the confused
vision of sense perception by an analogy from the sense of sight. Sight, he says, differs from
the other senses, since It requires not only the eye and the object, but also light. We clearly see
objects on which the sun shines; in twilight, we see confusedly; and in pitch-darkness, not at all.
Now the world of ideas is what we see when the sun illuminates the object; while the world of
passing things is a confused twilight world. The eye is compared to the soul, and the sun, as
the source of light to truth and goodness (Mitchell 2011).