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Setting the Stage

Most readers of Plato are familiar with the cave allegory, which compares human beings to prisoners in a cave whose only notion of reality consists of shadows they see projected on the wall. Building on arguments that the cave represents the polis, or political community, this chapter brings to light various indications in Plato’s Republic that each polis creates its own unique version of the cave. Hence, there is not merely one cave, but rather an entire world of cave-like polities. Three major implications emerge from recognizing Plato’s vision of the world as a world of caves: (a) Plato’s view of the world is much more egalitarian than traditionally believed; (b) Plato recognizes that no culture is homogenous; and (c) Plato sees the potential in cross-cultural interaction for intellectual liberation.