The arguments of Plato to Butler Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The arguments of Plato to Butler - Essay Example Plato’s prisoners represent the ordinary people comprising the society that is yet to attain the right knowledge and wisdom meant to free themselves from their enslaving appetitive desires (Plato 53). This is similar to the Butler’s society; where Martha holds a long dialogue with God though, in this account, the protagonist’s represents her society. However, Martha’s knowledge is much more elevated compared to the ordinary people whom God plans to enlighten through her. This is evident from the way she is able to brainstorm and come up with ideas (the idea of dreams) meant to redeem the ordinary people. Martha’s knowledge or wisdom level is similar to Plato’s freed prisoners, who have returned to the cave with a diverse perspective regarding how they view life besides other aspects. This is contrary to what they used to perceive things seemed like before they resurfaced in the cave. Besides, the bound prisoners deem their peers who had the chance to go out and learn the reality of things; possess corrupted form of insight where after arguing, they intend to terminate their lives. This is similar to Martha’s case where she is unwilling to return to the world once God assigns her the duty of educating His earthly beings. Since, she is afraid that they may kill her when she emerges with a different perspective regarding life’s predicaments and how to solve them (Butler 171). Both Plato’s prisoners and Martha’s inability to comprehend God’s nature unveil humanity’s mediocrity that is a need of knowledge. This is to liberate the entire society from its appetitive desires bounding it to unending ignorance; hence there is need to employ adequate measures (of imparting knowledge) to eliminate them. Therefore, both Plato’s â€Å"Allegory of the Cave† and Butler’s account â€Å"The Book of Martha† bear the same approach concerning how to impart their respective societies with the right knowledge meant to thrive or develop. What do these authors want us to know? The authors via these accounts imply that, we usually see things from the perspective which life’ s knowledge has prepared us. Hence, Butler’s argument, â€Å""You see what your life has prepared you to see," God said† (Butler 209). Therefore, people despite drowning in their society’s dubious mediocrity, will still persist to hold onto it, which is apparent from the cave prisoners’ stubbornness. These cave prisoners see their peers’ mind reformation as a corrupted way of thinking whereby they are ready to kill them, which is also similar in the Butler’s account (Butler 171). Hence, people despite their strong guest to advance their knowledge, normally lack internal liberty meant to accept it, whereby to some extent term any new idea as retarded mediocrity. Besides, the authors intend to imply the only few enlightened people in the society end up assuming the top posts or undertaking key responsibilities meant to develop the ignorant characters. This is regardless of peers’ resistance. For illustration, Plato contends that, philos ophers owing to their knowledge and wisdom ought to be kings, which is similar in the Butler’s account (Plato 166). Martha after getting enlightenment, God proposes to use her in redeeming the world, where he comes with an idea of resurrecting her. However, Martha wonders why God does not utilize other individuals, but he continues to