Why should Philosophy be in your life
If one looks at the environment around them , or thinks of the reasons for existence , he or she is unknowingly performing the art of philosophizing . This activity , though lurking in the shadows , is the protagonist and the basis of everybody ’ s life , and therefore should be subjected to study . Socrates , the face and father of this school of thought , left his disciples and the world a very important legacy , and arguably the most important contribution to our interactions with people . With his dialogue , method , or tradition , he showed the necessity of reaching a conclusion alongside a person , and not “ winning ”, rather , participating in the conversation with them . He also created the rough qualities of the concepts of ethics and epistemology , ideas that provide the standards of what we would consider decent or polite behavior , as well as rational , critical thinking . Questioning oneself to find clarity and truth , and showing such sacrifice for one ’ s passion is a great quality to have , and it ’ s just one of many reasons for why we should look up to this prominent historical figure .
By Adriana Cid
Allegory of the Cave
Plato once told a story of men imprisoned in an underground cavern for their entire lives , forced to watch shadows reflect off a wall in front of them . These prisoners learned to believe this was their reality , as they knew nothing else . In this story , Plato suggests that one prisoner could become free ; he could see the shadows on the wall for what they are — puppets illuminated by a fire — and escape from the comfort and familiarity of the cave . He would be able to venture out to the surface where , after being blinded by the true light , he would be able to recognize his former delusion . However , once he returns to the cave to share this revelation with his fellow prisoners , he realizes that his eyes are no longer accustomed to the dim firelight . The prisoners genuinely think that the sun is harmful because their friend is blinded and become too scared to break from their chains and escape the cave . This story alludes to real life : we , like the prisoners , are deluded about reality . We as a society are so convinced that what we are experiencing is real that once someone challenges our perspective , they are immediately called crazy and rejected . We mistake the real for the unreal , and only with the most extraordinary efforts can we be forced to change our perspective . However , Plato ’ s story poses an opposing question : how can we be so sure that there is another way to experience reality ? Many people claim to have reached Nirvana as a ploy to manipulate others , as seen in cults and many new-wave spiritual movements . Whom can we trust to show us the right way ? Must we make a conscious effort to carve our path out of the cave ?
By Zinzi Cotton
Travesía • revista estudiantil 37