Deception Quote by Plato
““This was her original state; and then, as I was saying, and as the lovers of knowledge are well aware, philosophy, seeing how terrible was her confinement, of which she was to herself the cause, received and gently comforted her and sought to release her, pointing out that the eye and the ear and the other senses are full of deception, and persuading her to retire from them, and abstain from all but the necessary use of them, and be gathered up and collected into herself, bidding her trust in herself and her own pure apprehension of pure existence, and to mistrust whatever comes to her through other channels and is subject to variation; for such things are visible and tangible, but what she sees in her own nature is intelligible and invisible.””
About This Quote
The passage describes the soul's journey from being trapped by sensory deception to achieving self‑knowledge through philosophical introspection, emphasizing trust in inner perception over external senses.
In simple terms: Philosophical self‑realization
Key Takeaway
Seek inner truth, distrust sensory illusion
Themes
self‑knowledge
sensory deception
philosophical introspection
inner trust
metaphysics
Mood
contemplative
inquisitive
serene
Type
philosophical
didactic
metaphysical
When to use this quote
- academic study of epistemology
- personal meditation practice
- spiritual counseling
- literary analysis of Platonic dialogues
Key Concepts
soul
perception
philosophy
existence
Practical Applications
- guiding meditation on inner awareness
- teaching critical thinking about sensory data
Questions to Reflect On
- How does reliance on senses limit understanding?
- What practices foster trust in inner perception?
