World Of Ideas Research Articles

On the Subject, Purpose and Method of Religious Education as a Practical Metaphysics

The aim of this study is to discuss the possibilities of designing the current science of religious education as a practical metaphysics without excluding its objectives. The current science of religious education is a religious pedagogy in terms of the conditions that brought it into existence and its characteristics. Accordingly, religious education activities are carried out after transforming religious knowledge within the limitations of pedagogy. Pedagogy, on the other hand, depends on the paradigm of being, human being and behavior that finds its meaning in natural sciences such as physics and biology, human sciences, especially psychology, and educational sciences, which are established depending on the natural state in which modernity is formed. Religious education activities are therefore bound to a conception of the human being whose capabilities are determined. But, as a newly established discipline, religious education as religious pedagogy naturally does not possess a fully developed theoretical framework (naẓarīyat), and thus, its principles, goals, methods, and the outcomes of religious education activities have not been subjected to a critical analysis. However, education is the process of becoming human, and by taking various differences in meaning into account, it means becoming a social reality, historicizing, and becoming a subject. Religious education as a practical metaphysics which is proposed to replace religous pedagogy, maintains its critical perspective and since it deals with subjectivity and the historicization of subjectivity, pedagogy can be articulated to discourses and institutions taking into account the criteria of verification. The pedagogical approach to religion is inherently anthropological due to the requirements of its discursive characteristics. While it necessarily considers a specific religion and its tradition, it derives its principles from a spectrum of sciences, ranging from natural sciences to educational sciences. Religious education as practical metaphysics isn’t obliged to derive its principles from any specific science, as it’s founded on existence itself. Instead, it calls for the reevaluation of sciences based on potential forms of subjectivity and promotes the establishment of new scientific disciplines. The general framework and concepts adopted in this study are derived from Platonic philosophy and Foucault’s analyses. The current educational paradigm is part of the line extending from Aristotle to modern science. Traditional religious thought, represented by the sciences of the explication (bayān) has established strong links with Aristotelian thought via kalām. Plato's philosophy, on the other hand, provides a third theoretical possibility alongside Aristotelian philosophy and the discipline of kalām. Foucault's analyses on subjectivation, which refers to the socialization of individuals and consequently their historicization, theorize the allegory of the cave in Politeia, which coincides with the verse that the worldly life is play and amusement. The analysis of subjectivity enables us to perceive the human being in a holistic manner, which is reduced in the Aristotelian thought system and fragmented in the discipline of kalām, as it reveals the human existence in its most general characteristics. Religiosity in terms of identity is the primary characteristic of subjectivity. As the science of subjectivity, practical metaphysics will be able to analyze religiosity without dividing it and thus create a new basis for interpreting traditional religious sciences. The study consists of three parts in which the subject, aims and methods of religious education as a practical metaphysics are expounded. The subject of religious education as a practical metaphysics is the most general form of human existence in the world, which is subjectivity. Its purpose is to scrutinize the conditions for the formation of subjectivity and to articulate a process of subjectification integrated with pedagogy. Thus, pedagogy can be conducted in harmony with the general principles of subjectification. Practical metaphysics can use the dialectical method in terms of human relation to truth, archaeology and genealogy for the analysis of subjectivity and forms of subjectivation, and any justified method for its pedagogical dimension.

On the Connotation of "Idea" and Its Metaphor in "Killing Commendatore"

Haruki Murakami's "Killing Commendatore" intricately divides its narrative into two pivotal chapters: "The Idea Made Visible" and "The Shifting Metaphor," both of which play a critical role in the thematic and philosophical depth of the novel. The concept of "idea" draws inspiration from Plato's Theory of Forms, particularly illustrated through the "three beds theory," where ideas represent the purest, most abstract forms of understanding and existence, transcending the physical realm. Murakami uses this philosophical backbone to explore the tangible manifestations of ideas within the novel's world, suggesting that what we perceive in reality is merely a reflection of these higher truths. On the other hand, "metaphor," as utilized throughout the novel, serves as a bridge between the abstract world of ideas and the tangible experiences of the characters. Metaphors permeate the narrative, weaving through various "idea" worlds, and acting as vessels that carry deeper meanings beyond their literal sense. This literary device enables Murakami to delve into complex themes of isolation, art, and the human condition, allowing readers to navigate through layers of meaning. The interplay between "ideas" and "metaphors" is not merely juxtapositional but is deeply interconnected. Through this dynamic interaction, Murakami crafts a universe where ideas and metaphors coalesce, creating an undercurrent of thought and reflection that invites readers into a multidimensional exploration of reality and imagination. This synthesis of philosophical inquiry and literary craftsmanship marks "Killing Commendatore" as a profound meditation on the nature of creativity and perception.

A caverna, no Marão: lendo o mito de Platão em Teixeira de Pascoaes

This article reads the Republic's allegory of the cave in a poem of Teixeira de Pascoaes, taking as proposition the formation of a symptom as a crisis associated with the modern notion of time to discuss issues about knowledge in this allegory. It is investigated how this reading would relate to the dynamics of visibility and invisibility in the poetics of Pascoaes’ and how this dynamic can be thought from the point of view of poetry and its relationship with knowledge today.

Go(Φ)d is Number: Plotting the Divided Line & the Problem of the Irrational

Plato believed that behind everything in the universe lie mathematical principles. Plato was inspired by Pythagoras (571 BCE), who developed a school of mathematics at Crotona that studied sacred geometry as a form of religion. The school’s motto was “God is number,” or “All is Number”. Pythagoras believed that numbers represented God in pattern, symmetry, and infinity. When one of its students, Hippasus told the world the secret of the existence of irrational numbers, Greek geometry was born and Pythagoras’ idea of divinity in numbers died because how could God not be perfect and symmetrical? In Plato’s Republic he discusses something called The Divided Line, which is a map, of sorts, for reaching what he calls the highest Good, which is the ultimate truth where one realizes the true state of the universe and can see the world for what it really is. Many mathematicians have attempted to plot Plato’s Divided Line only to come across a litany of problems and conundrums. Some have said that it the Divided Line cannot be plotted and is merely an allegory not meant to be plotted. This paper discusses some of the conundrums preventing the plotting of Plato’s Divided Line (not an exhaustive list), including Whole ‘vs’ Separate, Equality ‘vs’ Ontological Dissimilarity, Linear ‘vs’ Non-linear, and Infinity ‘vs’ Finite. This paper also explores a new understanding of the Allegory of the Cave in light of ‘the problem of the irrational.’ In exploring the link between the Divided Line and the ‘the problem of the irrational,’ I was able to plot it. It was found that the Divided Line is not a line in the linear sense, but a spiral, the Golden Ratio! This paper is an example of a new category of scholarly inquiry I call “Math Theory” based on scholarly mathematical axioms in theory, rather than including actual maths. In my papers I use existing mathematical equations and place them in an encompassing theory, rather than finding new formulae to fit an existing theory. Keywords: Pythagoras, divided line, math theory, highest good, all is number

Plato’s Shadows in the Digital Cave: Controlling Cultural Bias in Generative AI

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, like ChatGPT, have the potential to perpetuate and amplify cultural biases embedded in their training data, which are predominantly produced by dominant cultural groups. This paper explores the philosophical and technical challenges of detecting and mitigating cultural bias in generative AI, drawing on Plato’s Allegory of the Cave to frame the issue as a problem of limited and distorted representation. We propose a multifaceted approach combining technical interventions, such as data diversification and culturally aware model constraints, with a deeper engagement with the cultural and philosophical dimensions of the problem. Drawing on theories of extended cognition and situated knowledge, we argue that mitigating AI biases requires a reflexive interrogation of the cultural contexts of AI development and a commitment to empowering marginalized voices and perspectives. We claim that controlling cultural bias in generative AI is inseparable from the larger project of promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in AI development and governance. By bridging philosophical reflection with technical innovation, this paper contributes to the growing discourse on responsible and inclusive AI, offering a roadmap for detecting and mitigating cultural biases while grappling with the profound cultural implications of these powerful technologies.

Analysis of the “Hole” in Invisible Man based on Plato’s Cave Allegory

Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man mentions a “hole” the nameless black young man lives in. Telling the story of himself, the invisible man showed readers his transition from hibernating in the “hole” to walking out of the “hole”, which reflects his journey of seeking an effective solution for black people to fit into society. Based on Plato’s Cave Allegory, this paper analyzes how four phases in the invisible man’s journey of seeking the “truth” correspond to the phases in the Cave Allegory. Meanwhile, this paper attempts to analyze the “hole” metaphor, the “truth” that repeatedly appears, and different characters in this book to appreciate the author’s unique intention in using the “hole” metaphor.

Global Forms in Bolaño’s 2666: Genre, Race, Capital

ABSTRACT Roberto Bolaño’s posthumously published 2666 is a novel split into five parts without a clear logic of organization. I argue that its unity lies in the way each section takes up and then dissolves the conventions of an Euro-American genre, negating its usual organization of meaning and therefore relation to history. I argue that these genres are structures of experience which decompose in confrontation with the colonial destruction of life. Since there is no single received literary form that adequately represents the transformations of racial violence, Bolaño negates a procession of genres as a way of testifying to the complex matrix of power, death and revolt in the contemporary world. Subsequently, I demonstrate my interpretation with a reading of Book I, “The Part about the Critics”, as an academic novel. This genre has historically represented the world of an academic elite institutionally sheltered from the movements of history. Bolaño rewrites Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” as an allegory of colonial mining to stage the reemergence of slavery in the form of the university discourse.

“educating children for wisdom”: reflecting on the philosophy for children community of inquiry approach through plato’s allegory of the cave

There is a widespread belief in Philosophy for Children that Plato, the famed Greek thinker who introduced philosophizing to the world as a form of dialogue, was averse to teaching philosophy to young children. Decades of the implementation of P4C program’s inquiry pedagogy have shown conclusively that children are not, in fact, incapable of receiving philosophical training and education. But was Plato wrong? Or has he been largely misunderstood? Does his theory of education show the value of cultivating virtues in the young? This paper attempts to answer these questions by reading the Republic, specifically Plato’s theory of education and the allegory of the cave, as an education manual that can strengthen one’s understanding of the pedagogical approach of P4C and the importance of educating children in wisdom and other intellectual virtues. It demonstrates that the Platonic conception of education is consistent with P4C’s theoretical position of education being transformative, facilitative, and virtue-based. By unpacking the symbolisms and meanings of the cave metaphor, it also discusses effective facilitation, teacher capacity building, and sharing of responsibility in education. Ultimately, drawing from Plato’s theory of education can recalibrate and improve the way one sees the role of education in building caring communities that empower learners and educators for democracy, higher learning, and achievement.

ФІЛОСОФСЬКА СПАДЩИНА ПАМФІЛА ЮРКЕВИЧА

The article reveals the popularization of Ukrainian philosophical thought and its outstanding figures by the Kyiv National University, in particular the activities of Pamfil Yurkevich (1827-1874), an outstanding Ukrainian philosopher and cultural figure. Philosophical ideas of the thinker are an integral part of the continuous national scientific process, therefore there is an urgent need to return them from oblivion and a thorough understanding of the philosophical heritage will make it possible to reproduce its originality and significance both for the past and for the modern spiritual culture of the country's development period and will allow us to better to understand the problems of our society in their, first of all, moral manifestation. Pamfil Yurkevich makes an attempt to form a philosophical system («metaphysics of the heart»), based on the synthesis of Platonism, Kantianism and the «Patriarchal» tradition. Philosophical anthropology was the basis of this system. Thus, the philosopher proceeds from the attitudes that were characteristic of the contemporary spiritualacademic philosophizing, that the disclosure of metaphysical foundations is possible only through the human essence. Therefore, the subject of philosophy, according to Yurkevich, is man, the human spirit, and the task of philosophy is to strengthen faith, knowledge and beliefs. It was a kind of revolution in the understanding of the subject of philosophy, where the focus was on man as the most complex object of knowledge in the world, in whose soul lies the secret of his divine origin. An important aspect of Pamfil Yurkevich's philosophy is the concept of «idea», which permeates his entire work and makes it clear what is the essence of philosophy. To clarify this, the philosopher singles out spirit and consciousness. He points out that the spirit is much larger than consciousness. Therefore, philosophy as an understanding of the spirit depends on it and tries to make it the basis for understanding the world around us. According to P. D. Yurkevich, this basis is an idea. An idea is an exemplary form of reality, not reality itself, or, in other words, the reality we think. Without recognition of the idea, according to the Ukrainian philosopher, the living and active consciousness of a person would have a distorted view of the world, because the directed human spirit would be divorced from its aesthetic, moral and religious aspirations. An idea is what objects should be. Between ideas and phenomena, Yurkevich believed, is the creative will of God and people. The philosopher also distinguishes three spheres of existence: the world of ideas; the world of created individual things and intelligent beings; the phenomenal realm of primordial realization. These three worlds are not equivalent: the world of ideas is determinative of the other two. Pamfil Yurkevich created a comprehensive philosophical and anthropological concept of the heart as an important basis of a person's physical and spiritual life. because at the center of his teaching is a person with two characteristics - heart and mind. While developing his teaching about the «heart», P. Yurkevich relied heavily on the authority of the Holy Scriptures. The heart also hides the secret of man's modernity, it is the city that connects man with God.

Shadows and Echoes of Understanding: A Physician's Reflection on Plato's Allegory of the Cave and Medicine

Shadows and Echoes of Understanding: A Physician's Reflection on Plato's Allegory of the Cave and Medicine

Национальная самоидентификация героя-эмигранта в эмигрантской прозе Г. Иванова и Г. Миллера. Статья вторая: кризис творческой самореализации

The author compares the American prose writer Henry Miller’s novel Tropic of Cancer (1934) and the Russian poet Georgy Ivanov’s story Disintegration of the Atom (1938). The aim of the article is to compare the plot situations of the emigrant heroes’ self-identification in the aspect of the manifestation of their national and cultural identity in order to understand how the problem of national self-identification of a person of the modern era in emigration is aggravated. The second part of the article draws attention to the collision of creativity and the interpretation of art (literature) by the central characters. It is concluded that Miller and Ivanov agree on the idea of the crisis of culture and the dying of art in the situation of modernity. In the story of a hero, an aspiring writer, Miller shows the transformation of avant-garde ideas and the conformism of a contemporary artist. Miller’s central character appears as a spiritually integral person, capable of creative realization and capable of challenging a civilization stricken with cancer. Ivanov depicts a creatively sterile man-“atom”, unable to overcome the existential impasse in the crisis of modern civilization. Although in both works the heroes assert the highest value not of art, but of real life, sensuality, bodily passion, Ivanov’s hero cannot accept life and renounces it unlike Miller’s hero, who accepts himself and the world. The novel Tropic of Cancer is interesting in the aspect of imagology: it shows a number of images of Russian emigrants as perceived by an American hero. This is an American “view” of the Russian emigrant, different from the automyth of Russian emigrant writers (Georgy Ivanov). Geographically, Miller sees Russia as the most distant part of Europe. The dominant feature of Russians in Tropic of Cancer is irrationality (“crazy Russians”), but Miller, unlike Ivanov, captures both the pragmatism and conformism of Russian emigrants. The emigrant writer Boris, on the one hand, appears as a type of a European avant-garde artist; on the other hand, Russian roots are manifested in his aesthetics and attitude to the world. Boris turns out to be similar to the hero of Ivanov’s story, a creatively sterile person, immersed in the world of ideas, the break with which reflects the creative growth of the hero of Miller’s novel. A skeptical assessment of Russian idealism brings Miller and Ivanov closer together. The author declares no conflicts of interests.

Utilization of social media to Enhance Learnability among Secondary School Students (CBSE AND ICSE)

We are currently in a technological era where inventions and discoveries are prevalent due to the latest technological advancements worldwide. One of the most significant technological developments is social media, which greatly impacts youth, especially teenagers. We can observe that the youth are increasingly connected to social media, particularly through online platforms that have emerged and are still emerging. These platforms allow the youth to connect with a world of ideas, thoughts, facts, and possibilities. The concept of learnability involves the desire and the ability to develop and adapt one’s skills to remain mainstream. It is a multifaceted process that requires a shift from occasional learning to a lifestyle of continuous learning. This involves actively seeking out new skills to acquire and accumulate over time, which can enhance creativity and build upon existing knowledge. Social media is a term used to describe the various virtual platforms and networks where students can interact, share, and exchange information and ideas. In this particular study, social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, Instagram, and WhatsApp are included in the definition of social media.

The Theme of Death and Afterlife in Feqîyê Teyran's World of Ideas

Ev xebat derbarê temaya mirin û piştî mirinê di hizra Feqîyê Teyran de hatiye kirin. Di vê gotarê de me armanc kirîye ku bi çend helbestên ji dîwana Feqîyê Teyran hatine hilbijartin em temaya mirin û piştî mirinê bidin ber xwe. Li gorî helbestên li ber dest em dê hewl bidin ku fikr û hizra Feqî ya di derbarê axretê keşf bikin û bibin xwedî hin agahî. Temaya teslîmbûn û mirinê yek ji hizra sereke ye d edebîyata kurdî ya klasîk de. Derbarê vê mijarê de Feqîyê Teyran gelek nimûne dane û em ê jî di vê xebatê de li ser van nimûneyan bixebitin. Di encamê de jî em dibînin ku Feqîyê Teyran helbestên xwe ji bo şîretkarî û hişyarkinê nivîsîye. Bi rêya helbestan ve dixwaze xema xwe ya civakî derxîne pêşberî me û dixwaze civat dev ji hewes û zewqên dinyê berde. Wî helbestên xwe wekî mertaleke îmanî raspartîye civakê û ji gel xwestiye têkeve bin vê mertalê. Loma jî xema wî ya sereke di vê temayê de hişyarkirina rasteqîn ya alema bêdawî ye.

BETWEEN THE SPACE OF THE IMAGINARY AND THE SPHERE OF IDEAS: ONTOLOGICAL MODEL OF PROCLUS AND IRANIAN NEOPLATONIC TRADITION OF SUHRAWARDĪ

The article is devoted to the study of the influence of Neoplatonic concepts, in particular, the philosophy of Proclus on the discursive space of Iranian Neoplatonism. Proclus' system, Neoplatonic dialectic, turned out to be meaningful for the school of Yahya as-Suhrawardī. Exploring the “Primordial philosophy,” Suhrawardy attempted to build an ontological concept based on the Neoplatonic system. In this case, Proclus's dialectic helped him to reconcile Islamic orthodoxy and Shia concepts of ghulat. The reception of Platonism within the framework of the Illuminativist school had a tremendous influence on the development of Iranian philosophical thought in subsequent periods. It set the discursive framework for Iranian philosophical schools during the Safavid Renaissance of the 16th-17th centuries; Neoplatonism turned out to be the main language of philosophical reflection in the Iranian (more broadly, Shiite) intellectual sphere throughout the High Middle Ages and the New Age. In addition, the influence of Suhrawardi and his followers is also evident in the intellectual tradition of the Ottoman Empire, but the Illuminati traditions of the Sublime Porte require further detailed study. Thus, the strict hierarchy of the ontological and epistemological system confirmed the complex religious and historical constructions of Shiite imamology. The chains of revelation of the vilayat were considered in the context of Neoplatonic emanation, and one of the forms of legitimation of the prophetic revelation of the imams was an appeal to the accidental light, the border space between the world of ideas and the world of matter. In addition, it was the complex, multi-level system of Proclus and Damascus that offered not only a vertical orientation from the Highest Principle to the lower forms of matter, but also numerous horizontal levels parallel to each other, in which each of the hypostases of the One is divided into a number of self-completed participatory hypostases emanating from their uninvolved monadic cause. Maintaining this structure, Suhrawardī speaks of a multiplicity of self-completed revelations emanating from the single source of all prophecies, the reality of alam al-mihtal.

Plato’s Periagōgē: Changing Direction as a Central Aspect of Education

Plato’s concept of periagōgē, as presented in the Analogy of the Cave, serves as a fundamental component of his philosophy of education, illustrating the process of “changing direction” or “redirecting” one’s mind’s eye from ignorance to the Form of the Good. Plato’s understanding of culture or education, paideia, accentuates the shift from passive observation to active participation in the pursuit of ultimate knowledge and ethical excellence. This educational change of direction, from passive to active, unfolds as our entire soul turns toward the Form of the Good. Maintaining the soul’s proper direction and alignment involves cultivating the lower parts of the soul through the emulation of good habits, good behavior, and proper feelings, while concurrently strengthening the higher reasoning powers through mathematical sciences, culminating in dialectics. Such an educational redirecting of the soul aims at the Form of the Good as its teleologic, practical, and paradigmatic axis around which we are revolving as we go about our daily endeavors. Those who were able to grasp the Form of the Good, not only undergo inevitable personal change but also bear the responsibility of guiding others toward such a transformation, as their teachers and mentors, just like Socrates did. Consequently, periagōgē in the right direction, or aspiration toward the right ideals, promotes personal betterment but also extends its effects towards society, where such enlightened individuals help others to stay on the right path.

Воля к власти как новая онтологическая реальность в философии Ф. Ницше

The main objective of this article is to consider the concept of “will to power” by F. Nietzsche as a non-classical ontology of the post-metaphysical plan. The subject of philosophical understanding of the ontological nature of the phenomenon of power is revealed. The key aspects of F. Nietzsche’s philosophy are investigated: the will to life as the will to power, criticism of Christian religion and morality, the search for new values, the idea of su-perman. The German philosopher was one of the first to speak about the weakness and worthlessness of a man who raised the “world of ideas” above the world of reality. Nietzsche insists that humanity, in principle, has no specific goal, a person needs to learn to educate himself, to elevate himself, thereby elevating society. Con-clusion dwells upon the fact that power represents a new ontological dimension that defines human existence. According to Nietzsche, this will be the guideline for solving the problem of human integrity. The author comes to the conclusion that the personification of the highest metaphysics in Nietzsche is the superman, he is the “meaning of the earth”. Therefore, the will to power appears as a new ontological reality.

The Captivated Gaze. Diderot’s Allegory of the Cave and Democracy

ABSTRACT The problem of the captivated gaze has been taken up repeatedly in philosophy. Plato's Allegory of the Cave stands paradigmatically for this. Here, the gaze at the shadowy images prevents people from taking the path to the sun. Denis Diderot's critical reinterpretation of Plato's Allegory of the Cave is less well known. In Diderot, the view of the artificial light images is just as captivating as Plato's shadow images. Unlike there, however, Diderot does not distinguish between perception and cognition but instead focuses on the significance of the seemingly unimportant shift of the gaze within the cave. Diderot determines the starting point of the realisation of freedom in the liberation of one's own gaze from the captivation intended by third parties. Prerequisites for the liberation of the gaze are the realisation of an interruption. It is shifts in the alignment of the eyeballs that become visible here as lucid intervals and which, in Diderot, become the starting point of power analysis and the site of revolt and freedom practice. In this article, I will show how Diderot's demand for enabling the individual realisation of lucid intervals is not first and foremost an aesthetic, but a highly political one. The criteria of art, which are defined by Diderot and have not lost their relevance until today, are based on his explosive insight that the incessant captivation of the gaze stands in the way of democratisation.

Incident Hypernatremia in Hospitalized Patients: Risk Factor for Poor Outcomes or Merely the Shadows in Plato's Cave?

Incident Hypernatremia in Hospitalized Patients: Risk Factor for Poor Outcomes or Merely the Shadows in Plato's Cave?

The “Lengthy Affair” of Mytho-Poetic Education: Plato’s Myths, Heidegger’s Hermeneutics, and Learning with(out) Violence

This article retrieves ancient and modern perspectives on the status and role of myth in education by revisiting Plato’s critique of myth in the light of recent scholarship and spotlighting Plato’s so-called “allegory of the cave,” particularly the latter’s (in)famous interpretation by Martin Heidegger. Reviving the question of myth in the philosophy of education through engaging Plato and Heidegger’s mythical elements, the paper provides a more extensive background to recent deliberations on mytho-poetic curriculum theory and the hermeneutics of education.

Mining Plato’s Cave: Silver Mining, Slavery, and Philosophical Education

Abstract The Allegory of the Cave (Pl. Resp. 514a1–520e2) is often analyzed in terms of metaphysical, epistemological, political, and psychic hierarchies that are clarified and reinforced by philosophical education. But the Allegory also contains an important historical allusion to the silver mining that took place in classical Attica. Examining the Cave in light of the enslaved miners around Lavrio leads us to reconsider the philosophical ‘liberation’ (λύσιν … τῶν δεσμῶν, 515c4) at the Allegory’s heart in the context of Athenian slavery and Plato’s thoughts on the practice. Elsewhere in his work Plato generally uses servile metaphors in two ways: to depict ‘bad’ internal psychic subjection and ‘good’ submission to logos as manifested in various entities. This historical dimension of the Allegory works to undermine the ostensible naturalness of the slave/citizen distinction and suggest that philosophical education has the potential to ‘free’ the former and ‘subjugate’ the latter. The implication that these juridical categories are, to an extent, arbitrary and mutable reveals important differences between Plato’s views and those of his classical peers, and it adds to the dialogue’s protreptic dimension for its readers then and now.