Introspection, as the term is used in contemporary philosophy of mind,is a means of learning about one’s own currently ongoing, orperhaps very recently past, mental states or processes. You can, ofcourse, learn about your own mind in the same way you learn aboutothers’ minds—by reading psychology texts, by observingfacial expressions (in a mirror), by examining readouts of brainactivity, by noting patterns of past behavior—but it’sgenerally thought that you can also learn about your mindintrospectively, in a way that no one else can. But whatexactly is introspection?

• Philosophical Elements Definition

No simple characterization is widelyaccepted.Introspection is a key concept in epistemology, since introspectiveknowledge is often thought to be particularly secure, maybe evenimmune to skeptical doubt. Introspective knowledge is also often heldto be more immediate or direct than sensory knowledge. Both of theseputative features of introspection have been cited in support of theidea that introspective knowledge can serve as a ground or foundationfor other sorts of knowledge.Introspection is also central to philosophy of mind, both as a processworth study in its own right and as a court of appeal for other claimsabout the mind. Philosophers of mind offer a variety of theories ofthe nature of introspection; and philosophical claims aboutconsciousness, emotion, free will, personal identity, thought, belief,imagery, perception, and other mental phenomena are often thought tohave introspective consequences or to be susceptible to introspectiveverification.

For similar reasons, empirical psychologists too havediscussed the accuracy of introspective judgments and the role ofintrospection in the science of the mind.

The ‘Allegory Of The Cave’ is a theory put forward by, concerning human perception. Plato claimed that knowledge gained through the senses is no more than opinion and that, in order to have real knowledge, we must gain it through philosophical reasoning.‘The Allegory of the Cave’ by PlatoIn the Allegory of the Cave, distinguishes between people who mistake sensory knowledge for the truth and people who really do see the truth. It goes like this:The Cave. Imagine a cave, in which there are three prisoners. The prisoners are tied to some rocks, their arms and legs are bound and their head is tied so that they cannot look at anything but the stonewall in front of them. These prisoners have been here since birth and have never seen outside of the cave. Behind the prisoners is a fire, and between them is a raised walkway.

People outside the cave walk along this walkway carrying things on their head including; animals, plants, wood and stone.The Shadows. So, imagine that you are one of the prisoners. In Plato’s theory, the cave represents people who believe that knowledge comes from what we see and hear in the world – empirical evidence. The cave shows that believers of empirical knowledge are trapped in a ‘cave’ of misunderstanding.The Shadows. The Shadows represent the perceptions of those who believe empirical evidence ensures knowledge. If you believe that what you see should be taken as truth, then you are merely seeing a shadow of the truth.

In Plato’s opinion you are a ‘pleb’ if you believe this (their insult for those who are not Philosophers)!The Game. The Game represents how people believe that one person can be a ‘master’ when they have knowledge of the empirical world. This story can be interpreted in many ways. Whether you view it from a religious, philosophical, or other perspective, it can mean different things. Some people may relate this story to religious beliefs, while others may think of an entirely different circumstance, such as social problems.

Philosophical Elements Definition

In the end, no matter how you perceive it or what you may relate it to, this story is representing enlightenment from the simplicity that was previously known and the ignorance and distrust of those who are still oblivious.