Comparison between Descartes’ and Plato’s Notion of “Not Knowing is at times Fruitful”. Essay

Introduction

The concept of not knowing in Descartes’ meditation was one of the most influential opinions of all his philosophies. This has been portrayed in its use in modern learning. As a mathematician and a scientist, he came up with experimental works that have been used to date in learning institutions. For example, the experiment on refraction of light shows how a straight stick bends inside a clear glass half filled with water.

This is not true in the real sense because when the stick is removed from water it is remains straight (Broughton 198). Descartes disapproves all his findings by saying that the experimental is not true. He demonstrates a state of doubt in all his works. He confirms this by saying that his mind had deceived him. Though he does not believe in himself anymore, his hypothetical work has brought a solution to most problems in the current world.

The Concept of False Knowledge and Doubt

To Descartes, knowledge is innate. It is not a must that it comes from the mind. It is a representation of an image that is in the mind. He is majoring in avoiding wrong than proving right. His idea is that until one is sure about the truth of any matter, he or she should withhold judgment. Descartes states that it is better to keep mum than to speak false stuff. This helps to nullify the doubts that could be brought by different perception. One should only defend what he strongly believes is true.

People should not be moved by mob psychology or peer influence. It is hard to prove what truly exists because perspectives and ideas come from the mind which is corrupt. Hence not knowing or ignorance is fruitful because we do not have any meter to measure reality and perception to ensure truth. All perceptions are prune to doubt. Therefore, we ought to be ignorant such that we would not be caught in an endless regress of justification (Broughton 201).

In Plato’s Apology, the notion of not knowing is quite fateful for Socrates. He undergoes judgment in the hands of the Athenian jury (West 50). The events that follow do not help in Socrates acquittal, but lead to his death sentence. He implicates himself in this judgment because of his own responses. Socrates idea of not knowing leads him the fateful verdict which is death. Although death is not fearsome to him, it is not the best decision because his family would lose a great man. Socrates defends his idea with a notion that he is stating the truth.

In the parable of the cave the issue of not knowing is not beneficial at all. It is quite unfortunate for the prisoners in the cave to miss out on the great liberty outside the cave. All they know is the small world in the cave. In addition they have been barred from seeing the real world by the chains around their feet and neck.

What they see are images illuminated by fire and believe that these are all that exist. The prisoners are rich in knowledge of their environment and they are very comfortable with it. When one prisoner is released to go outside the cave, he meets a different world from what he was used to. He finds it very confusing that what he thought was real is not real. The free man finds himself at crossroads in choosing what to believe.

He pities the condition of the other guys in the cave. They do not know what actually exists in the free world. They are still in chains. Because of his freedom the free man gets the privilege of comparing the two worlds and he is in a position to judge on what is real and what is not real. The rest of the prisoners only know those forms reflected on the wall. They are missing out on the great picture since there is so much outside the cave that they do not know.

Confusing concept of True knowledge and wisdom

Descartes describes his view of appearance and reality. He meditates on the case of reality. He also wonders whether there could be a demon controlling what he sees. He concludes that men could be in a state of wake or dream. Descartes questions the kind of life that could be real and does not cause confusion (Broughton 198). He believes that everyone’s opinion is not real. Their perception is all wrong and whatever explanation they give cannot be trusted. Hence no one has true knowledge because every opinion calls for doubt.

In addition to doubt, Descartes refutes skeptical arguments and devices a new way of obtaining knowledge. That is the use science and math in designing experiments. He describes that to avoid error, one should seek another alternative which is more trustworthy. The most acceptable alternative is psychological evaluation. In the choice, one should avoid believing stuff quickly until he or she finds satisfying evidence. Therefore it is better not to know because what we really think is, is not.

In the Apology of Socrates, It was evident that Socrates had lost the case on the charges against him. To him this was gain and he appreciated the verdict. He believed that no one could prove what he or she had not experienced; hence to say death is horrific is a false statement. Socrates stresses that in the passing world the mind is prone to change and truth could actually be in death.

This is depicted in his expressions that the physical body is temporary while the soul is eternal. Socrates tries to prove that it is better to die than to live. His apology states that the wisdom he has is from the notion that he knows nothing (West 56). The admission of ignorance by Socrates demonstrates philosophy.

He tells the jury not to judge him on his words but by the truth. He even goes ahead to tell his defenders that he is not happy with their justification. He says that the defenders are on his side because they happen to know him. Socrates is not testifying to win the case but to speak the truth. This is confusing because one cannot campaign for his or her own death sentence. To him death brings gain as he illustrates that great philosophers have died and so death is a blessing.

Socrates goes further to invite fellow philosophers to follow him in death. He insists that they should never commit suicide since this is not acceptable to God. His idea is confusing in that he wants the philosopher to embrace death but the means of getting there is not known. Socrates claims of greater wisdom after death which is from the immortal soul (Gallop 18-21). He insists that the knowledge in the body is deceiving and not real. Therefore, to Socrates death is a blessing.

Conclusion

There is much difference between the two philosophers’ beliefs. Descartes idea of not knowing had solved many scientific and math problems. This is in contrast with Plato’s writing in the Apology of Socrates. He illustrates how the issue of not knowing robbed Socrates of the right to live. This was quite unfortunate while in the Parable of the cave, the same notion robbed the prisoners’ freedom of enjoying the goodness that was outside the cave.

Works Cited

Broughton, Janet. A Companion to Descartes. West Sussex: Blackwell Publishers, 2008.

Gallop, David. Introduction to The Phaedo. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.

West, Thomas. Plato’s Apology of Socrates. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1979.