If you’re familiar with the theory of knowledge represented by Plato, you know that it claims to demonstrate people that they don’t learn, but there is some process of remembering and recollecting what they have forgotten. This famous philosopher managed to do that in a special slave boy scene. Basically, Plato claims that all people have learned everything in their earlier lives before they became people, and this means that they already have the necessary knowledge.
This interesting and unique theory is illustrated by asking a slave boy different geometry questions that are answered correctly. This famous scene proves that this boy understands and knows geometry, although he has never studied it before. It’s easy for Plato to make a conclusion that this kind of knowledge is just recollected. His view on having this knowledge is quite original because he claims that people just need to awake it.
Think about The Republic, as this is where his theory of knowledge is put in a certain analogy with those people who lived in caves for long years before coming out into the outside world that has a completely different reality. When they have to enter this completely new world, this situation is very difficult for people so that they need to adjust to a number of important life aspects, including differences in the light.
These people used to live in dark caves for whole lives so that they know how to see shadows on the wall and darkness. However, when they go outside where they can see the sunlight, they don’t need to learn to live in this new setting because they already have this kind of knowledge. The only thing that should be done is just recollecting or remembering it. It’s advisable to put this interesting analogy together with the idea of knowledge.
In conclusion, Plato writes that some professors of education are wrong because they say that they know how to put their knowledge into souls that wasn’t there before. He claims that any knowledge can’t be brought into people’s minds this way. If you know something about the works of Armstrong, you will understand that they are a bit similar to the theory of knowledge introduced by Plato. Keep in mind that their views are also quite difference, regardless of their similarities so that they shouldn’t be confused when researching this subject and the ideas of Plato. His works deserve the attention of any student studying philosophy, regardless of the main focus.
If you’re familiar with the theory of knowledge represented by Plato, you know that it claims to demonstrate people that they don’t learn, but there is some process of remembering and recollecting what they have forgotten. This famous philosopher managed to do that in a special slave boy scene.