The ancient Greeks were emphatic that philosophy was not just an elaborate, abstract exercise. They believed it was a deeply useful skill that should be learned and practiced by all to help us live and die well. No one believed this more than Plato, who passionately defended philosophy as a kind of therapy for the soul. One of the most forceful stories he told in support of philosophy’s utility is what has become known as the Allegory of the Cave. It is perhaps the most famous allegory in philosophy. This story was intended, as he wrote, to compare the effect of education and the lack of it on human nature.

At the start of Book Seven of his masterpiece, The Republic, Plato tells us about a group of people imprisoned in a cave. They have always lived there and know nothing of the outside world. There is no natural light in this cave; the walls are damp and dark. The only things the inhabitants can see are the shadows cast on the wall by the light of a fire.

The cave dwellers become fascinated by these reflections of animals, plants, and people. They assume that these shadows are real and that . They fail to realize that they are merely looking at phantoms. They discuss these shadowy figures enthusiastically, taking great pride in their supposed sophistication and........

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