Ahhhhh....finally! thank you.

Leonardo da VINCI, Vitruvian Man

LEE SHEN YEEK 1200771 

The Vitruvian Man is a drawing created by Leonardo da Vinci circa 1487. It is accompanied by notes based on the work of the architect, Vitruvius. 

Vitruvian Man, The Proportions of the Human Figure

The pen and ink drawing by Leonardo da Vinci, depicting a man fitting his body to a circle and a square by adjusting the position of his arms and legs, is probably the most famous drawing in the world. It is called Vitruvian Man.

Vitruvius was an ancient Roman architect who wrote a series of ten books on architecture - one of the few collections of books of its type that survived into the Renaissance. He justifies this by stating that the human body with arms and legs extended fits into the perfect geometric forms, the circle, and the square.

Vitruvius discussed proper symmetry and proportion as related to the building of temples. The architect believed that the proportions and measurements of the human body, which was divinely created, were perfect and correct. He therefore proposed that a properly constructed temple should reflect and relate to the parts of the human body. He noted that a human body can be symmetrically inscribed within both a circle and a square; this idea influenced his architectural practice.

Leonardo's illustration of the theory of Vitruvius is a pen ink drawing of a male figure whose outstretched limbs touch the circumference of a circle and the edges of a square. His navel falls in the exact center of the circle.

He is simultaneously within the circle and the square; movement and liveliness are suggested by the figure's active arms and legs. Leonardo's figure appears as a living being with unruly hair, distinct facial features and a strong build. While the subject is lively, thin lines on his form show the significant points of the proportion scheme. 

The purpose of the illustration is to bring together ideas about art, architecture, human anatomy and symmetry in one distinct and commanding image. By combing text and illustration, da Vinci evokes a meaning which could not be created through words or image alone.




Analysis
Circle- associated to God- infinity


Square- static earthly 
qualities- dependable


Perfectly balanced human proportion - when the hands are stretched out touching the circumference of a circle.


The navel is right in the middle.

LEE SHEN YEEK 1200771 

Borobudur/barabudur

LEE SHEN YEEK 1200771

Borobudur was constructed during the eighth century as a guide to the Noble Path of the Buddha. It born from silence and unfolding into the serenity of the other shore, it expresses the glory of Indonesia’s awareness and creativity, the smile of her plastic forms over the centuries as well as her travels along the edge of thoughts that cross the endless corridors of memory.

The Borobodur Temple complex is one of the greatest monuments in the world. It is of uncertain age, but thought to have been built between the end of the seventh and beginning of the eighth century A.D. For about a century and a half it was the spiritual centre of Buddhism in Java, then it was lost until its rediscovery in the eighteenth century.

The structure, composed of 55,000 square meters of lava-rock is erected on a hill in the form of a stepped-pyramid of six rectangular storeys, three circular terraces and a central stupa forming the summit. The whole structure is in the form of a lotus, the sacred flower of Buddha.

Borobudur is considered the largest Buddhist temple in the world.Situated in the central Indonesian island of Java, surrounded bybeautiful and cool volcanoes, Borobudur is a remarkable and beautifulstructure. While some say it is difficult to give an exact date to thestructure, some records say it could have been completed in the middle of 9Th century.

LEE SHEN YEEK 1200771

Reference
http://www.buddhanet.net/boro.htm
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=27198

The Matrix and The Allegory of the cave

 LEE SHEN YEEK 1200771


The Matrix and The Allegory of the cave 

Analysis


Plato describes prisoners chained in a cave, unable to turn their heads. All they can see is the wall of the cave. Behind them burns a fire, while puppeteers, behind the prisoners, hold up puppets that cast shadows on the wall of the cave.  The prisoners are only able to see and hear the shadows and echoes cast by objects that they cannot see.

In Matrix, we are in the same case, mankind is only aware of its existence through machines.  However, the machines, like the puppeteers, also share that false reality. Then, Plato continues his account of the liberation of one of the prisoners and his discovery of both worlds: the real world and that created by the puppeteers. That is exactly the pattern of the Watchowski brothers' movie. Thus, to realize that he has “been living in a dream world”, Neo has to “free his mind”. Plato also imposes a mission on the “One” who discovers the dual worlds; he has to free the other prisoners. That is Neo's mission, he will save humanity by showing everybody the truth. 

In that way, Matrix appears to be a philosophical metaphor of self-consciousness setting itself free.


"The truth in the real world is very different from the truth in the Matrix. Neo realized that his alter ego Mr. Anderson is simply a virtual worker in a typical office. Neo also realized that he is a slave, and had been living in the matrix. According to Protagoras, Truth is relative by means of “Homo Mensura”. The truth really hurts for Neo. Socrates (Free prisoner in the Allegory of the cave) can be the symbolism for Neo in this case."


These are the philosophical perspectives of the film relevant to the allegory of the cave.

LEE SHEN YEEK 1200771

Borobudur temple Tse Tsz Chung 1106826

Tse Tsz Chung 1106826

Initially, I have no idea how are this biggest temple built in Mahayana tradition constructed so well and last for thousands years. I thought Javanese was assisted by some kind of outer space unknown visitors as the rumor of the construction of Egyptian pyramids. Javanese and Egyptian were hardly build up a well constructed building or stupa during that time with shortage of  Artists and stonecutter built Borobudur in a brilliant way by egg gluing and key locking technique system in Sallendra Dynasty dated back 778 to 842 AD. With the hundred of god monument built in this stupa is a shrine for worshiping and also a place for Buddhist advocate.

The sculpture around the Borobudur has illustrated the daily routine (trading ships sailing the seas, vast system of commercial musical instruments, pottery, furniture, feasts celebration) of people in Jakarta, what they do for living and also the species of flora and fauna. And also mostly emphasize on the concept of worshipping the god (Buddhist) by crafting with illustrating the life of Buddhist and written manuscripts were crafted on the stone.  The design of the stupa is based on the Buddha cosmology in 3 stages of mental preparation, each stage related to words within Buddha’s cosmology. Story and manuscript crafted on the stupa are read from right to left; balustrade read from left to right which actually indicated the ritual showed by worshiper who climb up the the top in clockwise direction . Main east gate is where we start our journey and explore the beauty of this stupa. 72 of little stupas surrounded one huge stupa at the center at upper stair. Diamond shapes hole in outer levels indicated the instability while square shapes in inner levers indicated stability and the main stupa is represented the eternity, which refers to the formless world, Arupadhatu, showing a how a world of form changed into formless world( afterlife?)

The hidden structure of the base covered in a stone encasement projected the world desire.

Manuscript of Borobodur

Karmavibhangga-first manuscript talking about the theory of cause and effect of  good and evil

Lalitavistara- second manuscript, life of Buddha Gautama( birth until first sermon at Benares)

 Jatakamala- is a collection of poems consisting of 34 Jatakas and stories performed by Buddha in his life

Avadanas- describes the deeds accomplished by Bodhisattvas in their former lives for Buddhahood preparation.

Gandavyuha, the longest manuscript describes a rich merchant’s son named aiming the highest wisdom achievement by meeting Bodhisattvas, two spiritual teachers of these are Maitreya and Samantabhadra.

Reference:

1.http://thepowerofindonesia.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-built-   borobudur-temple.html

2. http://www.worldsiteguides.com/asia/indonesia/borobudur/

3.http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/boro_nav/bnav_level_2/level2_panels_borofrm.html

4.http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/boro_nav/bnav_level_2/level2_panels_borofrm.html

5. http://www.gunarto.org/

 Tse Tsz Chung 1106826

Gladitor

1. Is the story a hero's journey? Try to describe it as a hero's journey and see if it fits the template.

Yes, it is a hero's journey. The main character - Maximus was a adventure and go through the task and challenge it by his strong spirit!

2. What did you learn about Rome from this movie? Do some research on the characters. Are they real people from history? Is the film accurate in historical detail?  And architectural detail (for example, the Colosseum/ Flavian Ampitheatre)? 

In very broad historical terms, the movie is fictional but based on real history.

Marcus Aurelius, the last of a string of good Roman Emperors, died in 180AD and was succeeded by his son Commodus, who was a nasty piece of work and was eventually assassinated. 

The rest is fiction and also borrows quite a bit from the 1964 movie 'Fall of the Roman Empire' with Alec Guinness, Sophia Loren, Anthony Quayle, James Mason

3. What was happening to the Roman empire during the period of Commodus' rule? And what eventually caused the decline and  downfall of the Roman Empire?

The important factor for the decline of Roman Empire was economy problem in that country.Commodus tried to stay out of the day-to-day affairs of state, leaving them to a group of men unflinchingly loyal to him, but he eventually had to take more of an active role because of infighting and threats. He also enjoy the gladiator games, received the games that had become popular at the Golden Age of Rome. Much of the money waste on these games taxes. The lack of slave imports via military conquest in an agrarian slave labor economy, the absence of military plunder,  and etc.

4. Is this film propaganda for a certain set of ideas or a way of life? Did the writer, director and actors intend for you to have the reactions that you have expressed here? Aren't you just a bit suspicious and critical of the film and the black and white division between Commodus and Maximus? Such a bad and nasty Emperor and such a loyal gladiator! One is a 'good Roman' and the other is just out for himself? Doesn't it all seem a little too simple? So, again, is this film propaganda for an idea of loyalty? To answer this, look at which country produced it and when it was produced. How is the film 'constructed' to provide a lesson to the audiences of that country of its origin? Is it really about Rome, or about the country it came from? What was happening in that country in the years just before it was created?

Yes, some part of this film was just propaganda a way of life based on the different of rich and poor. 

Both of this films' story line almost the same except the quality of the film and fiction story line make the 2010 gladiator more interested for the audience. Gladiator is a 2000 epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott, by us and uk production. Crowe portrays the loyal Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed when the Emperor's ambitious son, Commodus, murders his father and seizes the throne, make the firm more exited and attractiveness for entertainment effects.

Yap Chian Wen

1105502

The Matrix and the allegory cave

Human in this world just like the prisoner in the allegory cave, believe in what they have been told and without suspect through the 'real'. The real actually filtered by many cases, we cant see it straightly. Neo just like the prisoner that who get the permission to go out from the cave and search about the real, it is the scene that Morpheus give the two pellets to Neo to choose either go to the real world or stay in the gate-keeping world. Neo choose to the real world and experience the real.

The world is filtered the true from gate-keeper, even though in this world that we alive also covered by god/people/facts and etc. So we really can't confirm the real or know about the real. Maybe until the day we dead and meet the god that we only know the true of this world.

Yap Chian Wen 

1105502

Yap Chian Wen

1105502

Borobudur/barabudur

9th century, Sallendra Dynasty 

by the Gupta architecture of India

Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles discovered it in 1814, Borobudur was buried under layers of ash from nearby Mount Merapi.

Mahayana Buddhist monument in Magelang, Indonesia.

on a hill 46m high 

Consists of eight steeps of stone terrance, constructed with about 2 million cu ft of gray volcanic stone, resembles a stepped pyramid.

The base encasement was represent the Kamadhatu.

First five terrance are square and surrounded by walls adorned with Buddhist sculpture in bas relief, the buddha statues inside the niches, 1460 in all, represent the Rupadhatu. Like a  spiritual textbook, depicting the life and lessons of Buddha. Each level represents a higher stage of man's spiritual journey.

The upper three steps are circular, with 72 bell shape stupa, with no ornamentation, means plainness and simplicity more virtuous than decoration. Represented as the Arupadhatu. Stone Buddhas tucked inside at the 6th step. Each Buddha sits cross-legged, making a hand gesture that signifies one of five spiritual attainments.7th step with Rhombus holed stupas, and the 8th is with the square holed stupas.  

The center of the last steps is the largest stupa, is the main stupa.There have a empty room. The meaning is unknown.


The related part between Borobudur and Hero's Journey was the stones, stupas, bells, represent the story of themselves, all of the objects also can represent their story, have their meanings.The Borobudur brings out the story of Buddhist.

reply on gladiator movie review( Tse Tsz Chung 1106826)

Tse Tsz Chung 1106826

1. Is the story a hero's journey? Try to describe it as a hero's journey and see if it fits the template.

2. What did you learn about Rome from this movie? Do some research on the characters? Are they real people from history? Is the film accurate in historical detail?  And architectural detail (for example, the Colosseum/ Flavian Ampitheatre)? 

3. What was happening to the Roman empire during the period of Commodus' rule? And what eventually caused the decline and downfall of the Roman Empire?

4. Is this film propaganda for a certain set of ideas or a way of life? Did the writer, director and actors intend for you to have the reactions that you have expressed here? Aren't you just a bit suspicious and critical of the film and the black and white division between Commodus and Maximus? Such a bad and nasty Emperor and such a loyal gladiator! One is a 'good Roman' and the other is just out for himself? Doesn't it all seem a little too simple? So, again, is this film propaganda for an idea of loyalty? To answer this, look at which country produced it and when it was produced. How is the film 'constructed' to provide a lesson to the audiences of that country of its origin? Is it really about Rome, or about the country it came from? What was happening in that country in the years just before it was created?

1.    The story could be interpreted as a hero’s journey. Maximus was called to adventure and being given a task and go through. Torture (test, enemy), allies and temptation were tested in the journey. Eventually, get back reunion with his wife and son without taking any reward.

2.    Basically this movie is a standard Hollywood movie, which conclude everything, example: all the dynasty warriors and famous existed heroes or empire in order to make it interesting, accompany with extraordinary action scene make lot of profit. The character of Maximus is fictional, which actually portrays the historical figures of Narcissus. Commodus didn’t murder Marcus Aurelius and M. Aurelius is actually was died of plague. But in the movie is another way interpreted to add more on dramatic elements in the movie. Hence the movie wasn’t entirely according to the historical events and yet it’s a messed up and creation of fancy imagination to make this movie even come out interesting.

3.    Due to the death of M.Aurelius, his son Commodus heritage the power and rule of empire. But Commodus’s characteristic that bearing the ego and indecency when he was ruling the empire. Assassination and civil wars always happened. Political situation is failed.  Recruitment akin to the hiring to “barbarian mercenary”. The poor situation of Roman economy. Lack of slave import. Cost of public welfare, cost of luxury imports. And last but not least,  two plague happened in Rome has immediately destabilizing the whole empire with the stated outcome though.

4.    It would the way of life I supposed. Based on the theory of the hero’s journey interpreted in a roman warrior way.  Due to the entertainment has eventually covered over the main concept to be conveyed in the movie. This movie produced by US and UK production. Hence, is this film propaganda for idea of the loyalty isn’t good enough if everything is interpreted in a commercial film? By just creating intense and entertainment-excited story line, example just to create a highly entertained and fascinated imagined fight scene which is in a Hollywood formula based on a particular history event- Colosseum. 

Tse Tsz Chung 1106826

The Matrix and The Allegory of the cave

Tse Tsz Chung 1106826 (Matrix and the allegory of the cave by Pluto)

What if we are being told that what are we now is actually projected? The people around us is only an illusion from another parallel world, there is another planet of people are guarding at us. Someone is ruling us. The appearance of bible has explained the unfortunate and fortunate we encountered, do we ever think of is it something is pre-arrange by someone or a group. Are we the puppet controlled by someone? Hence, what is real and what is illusion? And are we dreaming or we are being dreamed? In the movie matrix, people in reality doesn’t like us work in day, rest at night. Instead of these, they were set on a box filled with liquid and their body was plug in wire to support electricity apply to the city that under govern by machine world. Human is a slave. Neo and the teams is fight for the freedom as savior to save the entire slave out of the shackle. Human slave was like prisoner in the allegory of the Pluto, believe what they have been told, seeing what the machines wanted them to see but not through their own perspective. Once Neo comprehend the concept of reality through underwent the world of matrix, he wanted to save the entire innocent slave by defeating the world of matrix (shadow) to pursuit the true reality. And the Morpheus in this movie is projected as the people who showing the object in front of the flame. In matrix scene, Morpheus giving two pills (blue and red) to Neo, if Leo chosen the blue bill, he will remained in the fiction world; taking red pill will bringing him to see the reality he should be and so called “how far the rabbit whole goes". The reality is far beyond our imagination and its infinity. Leo chose the red pill and he sees the reality of a real platform, which is symbolic to a freed prisoner, was allowed to see the real world. Once he comprehends of the theory of reality, he can’t wait to survive (tell what he saw) those who are in prison (cave), but there would be a lot of barrier (agent smith, the twins, machine) for the resistance team to spread the truth and free the human slave (save the prisoner from the wrong mindset). Another interesting scene, which is the conversation between neo and oracle in the park, talking about the theory and the facts of whether is that everything is a programming by the machine world from what we see and sense, the program which watch over and control everything of a platform was interpreted into GOD by people explaining for themselves. Everything has a purpose. What is the purpose of being lived here? What is the purpose of being controlled or not to be? And only inner of us answer that question. No one knows except us. Choice is an illusion created between those who have power and who don’t by Merovingian has stated down the theory of allegory of the cave power holder controlled the prisoner by offering the choice of being released or imprisoned.  And also everything must having cause and effect mentioned by Merovingian has projected the shadow from the object in front of the flame and sunlight projected to the object which obvious to our sight. Cause is the light resources and effect, which is the outcome of the object.  But the truth we always argue about. Which is the real projection.

Tse Tsz Chung 1106826 (Matrix and the allegory of the cave by Pluto)

LEE SHEN YEEK 1200771

1.Is the story a hero's journey? Try to describe it as a hero's journey and see if it fits the template.

Yes, Gladiator is the story of a hero's journey. Maximus is the person who goes out and achieves great deeds on behalf of the group. After Maximus won the battle, he don't really care about the reward from emperor. He just wish to back home to see his wife and his child since they didn't meet up long time ago. He cares and love his family better than the reward from emperor. 

2. What did you learn about Rome from this movie? Do some research on the characters. Are they real people from history? Is the film accurate in historical detail? And architectural detail (for example, the Colosseum/ Flavian Ampitheatre)? 


Actually I am not interested in historical film especially Rome, War or Fighting, and the movie title Gladiator make me feel bored. I am guessing that is it a boring movie?  After I watched it, it make my mind change, although the film almost reach 3 hours. But I love the story, content, conflict and climate and it doesn't boring.

Yes, there are those people who name Maximus,  Commodus or the Emperor in the past. They are real people but just from different time. There might be some different with the character background only. For example, in real life, Commodus's eldest living sister, Lucilla, did plot with a number of senators to kill him withing the first two years of his reign. 

The film is slightly different in historical detail, right from the opening scene, the inaccuracies are legion. First there was no last great battle with the Germanic tribes on the eve of Marcus Aurelius' death. I have found no attested parallel to the war dog of the Roman commander Maximus, the movie's hero, and if there were one, it would not have been a German shepherd, a breed that did not exist in Antiquity. The use of fire-hurling catapults and mechanical dart launchers against the oncoming barbarians was certainly dramatic but probably unhistorical. By and large such weapons were too cumbersome for use on the open battlefield and were confined to more static siege warfare.

The Colosseum is a marvel of architectural engineering, it was built with giant travertine blocks, layered with soft stones and concrete. It was originally overlay ed with the marble but that was looted over the centuries. Its magnificent columns were made of the Doric, lonic and Corinthian orders.

The mammoth Colosseum measures 620 feet by 513 feet, 1/3 of a mile around. The 6 acre building contained 3 tiers of the seats, 80 entrances, seated 50,000 spectators, resembling the size and capacity of the Houston Astrodome. 

3.What was happening to the Roman empire during the period of Commodus' rule? And what eventually caused the decline and downfall of the Roman Empire?


Commodus is the son of the Emperor. He killed his father and aspersion Maximus. He became such a bad and nasty Emperor. Commodus became heartless and bad. He wants to kill Maximus and gonna fight with him at last. Lastly, Maximus killed Commodus during the fight and eventually caused the decline and downfall of the Roman Empire. 

4.Is this film propaganda for a certain set of ideas or a way of life? Did the writer, director and actors intend for you to have the reactions that you have expressed here? Aren't you just a bit suspicious and critical of the film and the black and white division between Commodus and Maximus? Such a bad and nasty Emperor and such a loyal gladiator! One is a 'good Roman' and the other is just out for himself? Doesn't it all seem a little too simple? So, again, is this film propaganda for an idea of loyalty? To answer this, look at which country produced it and when it was produced. How is the film 'constructed' to provide a lesson to the audiences of that country of its origin? Is it really about Rome, or about the country it came from? What was happening in that country in the years just before it was created?

Yes, Gladiator is a film propaganda foe a certain set of ideas or a way of life.


Yes, the writer, director and actors intend me to have the reaction that I have expressed here after I watched the film. 


No, I don't have any suspicious and critical of the film and the black and white division between Commodus and Maximus. Black represent the heartless, nasty and bad Commodus. In contrast, White represent the loyal Maximus.


Yes, Maximus (Gladiator) is the good Roman. Commodus is the one who just out for himself. He is so greedy, he wants everything from Maximus even thought the reward from Emperor.

Yes, Gladiator is the film propaganda for an idea of loyalty. United Kingdom produced it and Gladiator is a 2000 epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott.


LEE SHEN YEEK 
1200771

Yap chian wen 1105502 Description of plato's allegory cave

Yap Chian Wen1105502



Description of Plato’s allegory cave


A group of people---prisoners that live in a cave, who have been chained and held immobile since childhood: not only are their arms and legs held in place, but their heads are also fixed, compelled to gaze at a wall in front of them. Behind them was an enormous fire, and between the fire and the prisoners is a raised walkway, along which people walk carrying things on their heads. The prisoners watching the shadow on the wall, and they think this is real, not shadow. The whole of their society would depend on the shadows on the wall.

A prisoner get permitted to go out from the cave, he see the real objects outside the cave he don’t know what is that. He would believe the shadows on the wall to be more real than what he sees in the first.
We cant just believe on something that we saw or heard, and also have to find the prove! Many times, the truth are hidden by many reasons---gate-keeping.

reply....

The gatekeeper filter out the true from us maybe got the beneficial but also got the harm. For example, the gatekeeper(government) tell us that this country is a rich country, and we will think it good and won't worry about the economy problem, feel more comfortable. But the true is actually this country is facing the bankruptcy problem! If suddenly this country bankrupted we all cant accept this kind of things happen，some of us may feel disappointed and maybe will kill themselves!
For me, the gatekeeper actually cant control the spread of the network so we can know all the things from internet.

WONG CHIOW VUNN 1201120 (Description of Plato's Allegory of the Cave)

The “Allegory of the Cave” starts off as a story told by Socrates to Glaucon. In this story,a group of people live in a cave underground. They are bound and unable to move or turn their heads, and so can only look straight in front of them.

Before them is a wall and behind them a fire burns. Others in the cave pass before the fire holding objects which cast shadows on the wall.

Later, a prisoner is released and taken to the outside world. At first he recoils from the bright light, but he gradually adjusts until he sees the outside world just as if he had lived his whole life above ground instead of in a cave.

Plato's purpose in telling this story through Socrates is not to entertain with a tale of fancy, but to describe in metaphorical form the reasoning behind one of his chief philosophies:
the senses cannot be trusted. The connection is clear; the prisoners in the cave are as ignorant of the truth as Glaucon was, if he relied solely on what he saw. The prisoners, having lived their whole life in the cave, would look upon the shadows they saw and recognize them as reality. In
the same way, Glaucon and others like him believed what they saw and experienced was in fact the reality of the Universe. Conversely, Plato believed that the truth of the Universe was hidden and that the way to discover it was not through observation of the surrounding world but through
logic and reasoning.

You must experience something and not only judge something from the way it looks. You must first live in someone's shoes before you are able to feel what they feel and understand how they live. Never judge something by its cover and from the outside. Live and breathe, then speak.

Unified Statement

A cave that reflected the truth !

LEE SHEN YEEK 1200771 (Description of Plato's Allegory of the Cave)

The Allegory of the Cave plays a important role in our community today. Living in our world would be accurately like living in the cave, as what Plato explained. 

We don’t see it but we are the slaves and the puppets being controlled by puppeteers. We have the media, the government, businesses, and markets, even us. Shadows walk around us everyday as if we were to be watching a movie.

I think that Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, even today information is kept from the minds of the ones that want to know. How I think about this is, the cave is a metaphor for the mind, the opening is/ are the ears or mouth, and the prisoners are the people in this world who do not have the knowledge that they are fully capable of knowing. I personally do not think that the allegory is out dated today, because it is about human nature, and human nature will go on for as long as the human race survives. Something that has changed slightly is the puppeteer, today the ‘puppeteer’ sometimes does not show themselves always, but regulates on what can be put on to the internet, TV, and books. But because of this, people are still blinded from the truth, they do not have all of the knowledge that they need to be able to participate truthfully in our society and government today. People today are able to live their lives how they want to live them to the most part. But in today’s society, it is very easily to be able to see past the shroud of false and misleading knowledge, at some points in time, but at times the people of the world are not able to see past the shroud of false and misleading knowledge. That is why we study and go to school, to learn some of the knowledge that is still enshrouded, and truthful.

CHEN SOR LING (1200545) (Description of Plato's Allegory of the Cave)

The "Allegory of the Cave" by Plato represents an extended metaphor that is to contrast the way in which we perceive and believe in what is reality. Plato seems to be referring to truth and the reliability of our own perceptions in regard to leading a shallow life versus leading an enlightened life. The concept of the allegory itself is very enlightening and is something that everyone should look at. It shows how different paradigms can lead to different lifestyles.

For this allegory, we are to imagine an underground Cave, whose entrance leads upward to daylight. There are prisoners in the Cave who have been chained there since their childhood. They are chained to the ground and chained by their heads. They can see only the wall of the Cave in front of them. On this wall they see projections from the sunlight of things and events that happen at the opening of the cave behind them, which they are not allowed to see. A fire is burning behind the prisoners; between the fire and the arrested prisoners, there is a walkway where people walk and talk and carry objects.
The shadows of these objects fall directly on the wall providing the sole view for the prisoners. Hence, the only way for the prisoners to get acquainted with their surroundings is to decipher the shadows and consider them to be a part of the real world. They start naming each and every object, and amongst all the prisoners, the intellect of an individual is governed by his ability to judge those objects. The prisoners perceive the shadows and echoes as reality.

If we unchain one of the prisoners and make him turn around, he would be frightened, pained by new physical movement, dazzled by the fire, unable at first to see. When he is told that the people and things he now perceives are more real than the shadows, he will not believe it. He will want to return to his old perceptions of the shadows as reality. When we drag him out of the Cave and into the World of Day, the sun will blind him. But he will gradually see the stars and the moon; he will then be able to see shadows in the daylight thrown by the sun; then he will see objects in the full light of day. The sun makes this new perception possible. If we took the prisoner back into the Cave, into his old world, he would not be able to function well in his old world of shadows.

For the allegory, the Cave corresponds to the realm of belief; the World of Day corresponds to the realm of knowledge. Intellectually, the developing thinker moves from the level of imagining, upward to common-sense belief, thence to thinking, thence to the summit of Dialectic, also termed intelligence or knowledge. The sun stands for the Form of Goodness itself. If the prisoner were to be returned to the Cave, his old fellows would not believe his experiences, since they have always been imprisoned in their world, the Cave.

Thus, allegorically, we must release the prisoners from their Cave: We must give the Guardians the experience of education so that they can become the philosopher-kings of the Ideal State, because they will be able to know the Forms and, finally, Goodness itself.
But it is not enough that the prisoner, freed, now possesses knowledge.

He must be returned to the Cave to enlighten his erstwhile fellows about the knowledge he now perceives. He is trying to persuade its inhabitants that there is another, better, more real world than the one in which they have so long been content to dwell. They are unlikely to be impressed by the pleas of this extraordinary individual, Plato noted, especially since their former companion, having travelled to the bright surface world, is now inept and clumsy in the dim realm of the cave. Nevertheless, it would have been in the best interest of these residents of the cave to entrust their lives to the one enlightened member of their company, whose acquaintance with other things is a unique qualification for genuine knowledge.

The "Allegory of the Cave" represents a complex model as to which we are to travel through our lives and understanding. The four stages of thought combined with the progress of human development represent our own path to complete awareness in which the most virtuous and distinguished will reach, and upon doing so shall lead the public. The story as told by Socrates and Glaucon presents a unique look at the way in which reality plays such an important part in our own existence, and how one understands it can be used as a qualification for leadership and government.

TSE TSZ CHUNG 1106826(Description of Allegory of the Cave)

TSE TSZ CHUNG 1106826(Description of Allegory of the Cave)

INITIAL

In this Plato’s Cave, a group of prisoners are sitting or standing, facing a empty big wall. These prisoners watch the shadows that are projected from behind them in front a great fire flames, Between fire flames and prisoner, there is a hallway, which allowed the tester to place anything to be projected the shadow o f the items on the wall.

Hence, without looking back to the real item, the prisoner will take the projected shadows as a real object. No matter how we have show him or her the real object and they turning their hand back to the real cast behind them (literally an real object), they would also insist that the shadow projected is the real object instead the object behind them.

Giving a example, a shadow of a book is projected to the wall. One of the prisoner answers: I see a book. This prisoner is basically seeing a book from the shadow projected. He is talking about the shadow but not the book. Subconsciously, the concept of real objects would be a shadow.

RELEASED

And yet, the light of the fire ignites the source of the seasons and the years, caretaker of all things in the visible place.  Without light, we see nothing.  Once the prisoner is get out of the cave, at the first place bearing that shadow is the real object. When it comes to night, without sunlight will lead him rethink the concept of real thing. Then he or she will realized that  the real object wasn’t shadow and understand the bond between light (sun) and objects from all around the world, light is the root that allow us to see any objects around us.

RETURN

Majority is the power holder in a society. When majority agree on something which is bad or wrong,, minority still has to follow no matter that thing is right or good. Majority is the king in the food chain of society. The man released and found out the real theory of a real object from the outside world and ready to spread the truth among his fellow prisoners in the cave who still insist on the wrong concept of a real object. The fellow prisoners might strongly disagree on that twisted concept told by an insane fellow who recently released out to the outside world.(is likely to conspiracy theory we having nowadays) And once he went out and learns the real theory from the outside world, does he thrown out the initial concept or make a comparison , or pathetically  due to the majority power make him believe what he believe at the starting point, continually wrong till the end.

Summary

The people who holding the object in front the flame has indicated the government, people with high authorization and dignity has controlled and manipulate our perspective by only roughly showing shadow of the facts. For those who has been fooled for time to time, when we has a rush of curiosity and wanted to know the truth, we will like to find out just like the in Plato’s cave, glazing back the real thing/object/fact. People shouldn’t like the prisoner only seeing the shadow (statement or fact given by that specifically status people who false the truth), we should stand out and voice out our own perspective, never follow the tendency or majority.  For most people get influenced by the mock-up mindset created by the government has making discovering the facts harder due to the power of majority has conquer the desire and curiosity to pursue the truth.

In education field. Knowledge and education (shadow) taught (projected) by our tutor or teacher mustn’t 100 percent correct, instead that we should challenge and argue what you believe is what so called the real deal of learning.  Whatever taught or spread by the elder must 100 percent correct, if it was wrong based on your sense, fight it please.

Tse Tsz Chung 1106826 

Chew Shell Chien 1106999 (Gladiator)

I like the scene from the movie " Gladiator" is when Marcus Aurelius approaches Maximus after the battle in Germania has ended, proud of his victory. He asks Maximus what reward he wishes to have and Maximus replies, “to go home.”

Describe the scene I like best

When Maximus gained the victory from the war, what he wanted is no obtained any rewards by the king.He only want to please,to pleased the king to let him go home, to meet with his beloved wife and his 8 years old son.He counted,he almost 2 years and 8 months din't go back home.He felt tired,he felt sorry to all of his comrades who died in the war.

Explain why you like that scene

Through Maximus' eyes, I can feel that what he reveal his truth feeling to please the king. For get the victory after battle in Germania,the king had promise that will get some rewards for him, but what he really want just a simple thing--to go home. He really miss his wife and his son.He miss them so much. I felt sympathy to him. As a general, he success to qualified, but as a husband and a father, he cannot and can't promise for his responsibility. This is what he regret for. But now, he want to relive. Just let him go home.