Symbols - Alex Smalley

During philosophy 201, the book Plato's Republic was read. In this book, Plato uses the allegory of the cave in which symbolism is very apparent. The cave uses light to symbolize knowledge, and few other things, the people within the cave are in a matrix-like state in which they are shielded from the real world. When this was gone over in class, it made me think about how symbolism impacts everything. From everyday occurrences to big time events, symbolism is everywhere. Plato uses symbolism in much of his philosophy, using this symbolism to connect larger ideas and concepts. One symbol can be used in all situations and have a vast amount of meanings. Symbols are crucial in all live even if the symbols cannot be quickly identified, some a very subtle, but still very important.