analogy of the cave

a metaphor used by Plato to illustrate his contention that humans are only dimly aware of the true nature of things. Plato likened human life to the state of being imprisoned in a cave, with the world outside casting shadows on the cave walls: He contended that these shadows are all one actually experiences of the real world, which is timeless and ideal. See Platonic idealism; theory of forms. See also transcendentalism.

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Psychology term of the day

January 19th 2025

absolute scotoma

see scotoma.