Q0221
“Picture human beings as if living in an underground, cave-like dwelling.” — Plato (Republic VII 514a)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Republic VII 514a. Theme: knowledge.
English
Picture human beings as if living in an underground, cave-like dwelling.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Republic VII 514a and files it under Platonism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Plato
Plato (c. 428/427–348/347 BCE) was an Athenian of high birth, a devoted associate of Socrates, and the founder of the Academy.
How to read this passage
Epistemology asks whether knowledge is justified true belief, reliable tracking of the world, or something else; it also asks how perception, testimony, memory, and reason contribute. This passage enters that discussion through knowledge, education, being.
Concepts in this quote
- Knowledge
- Knowledge is the philosophical study of what we can justifiably claim to know—and where certainty ends.
- Education
- Education appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat education as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- Being
- Being appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat being as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Plato. (n.d.). Picture human beings as if living in an underground, cave-like dwelling. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0221
MLA: Plato. “Picture human beings as if living in an….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0221.
Chicago: Plato. “Picture human beings as if living in an….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0221.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Picture human beings as if living in an…”?
The passage is attributed to Plato, Republic VII 514a. The archive attributes this English wording to Republic VII 514a and files it under Platonism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Plato mean by knowledge?
Epistemology asks whether knowledge is justified true belief, reliable tracking of the world, or something else; it also asks how perception, testimony, memory, and reason contribute. This passage enters that discussion through knowledge, education, being.