How does the philosopher Plato understand the nature of education as expressed in the selection from his dialogue, the Republic? Do you think this conception of education has any relevance to education as you understand it, especially education as provided by formal schooling? Explain. What other important ways of thinking about education are there, and do you think they are incompatible or at least in tension with Plato’s view, and why?
In answering these questions, you must read carefully the entire document “Plato, Allegory of the Cave” that is attached to this unit and provide a concise, intelligent summary of what you take that conception of education to be. Your essay must contain two quotations from this unit reading, and each quotation must contain at least one full sentence: a quotation containing only a fragment of a sentence is not acceptable. Moreover, whatever quotations you insert into your paper must be enclosed in quotation marks and provided with a brief informal reference to the source of the quotation (the citation of the source may be placed in parentheses following the quotation or in a footnote or an endnote). You must also draw on, and occasionally make clear and explicit reference to, the 30 minute BBC podcast on the nature of education.
In your essay, do not discuss Plato’s view of justice or “social justice” or anything of that sort. Provide a brief outline of Plato’s vision of the cave as contained in “Plato, Allegory of the Cave” and discuss its metaphorical meaning, which Plato himself (speaking through the character of Socrates) elucidates toward the end of that reading. Then answer the three questions of the essay prompt. (Again, you must also draw on, and occasionally make clear and explicit reference to, the 30 minute BBC podcast on the nature of education in the course of your essay.)
