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Study of Myth: Allegory of the Cave: Plato and Eden

Study of Myth: Allegory of the Cave: Plato and Eden


Israel: Into and Out of the Cave

The myth of Plato’s Cave describes isolation within the earth, the leaving of the cave, and the compassionate return for others. This story is mirrored by Adam, who was buried; Christ, who transcended the cave; and Mohammad, who literally returned to the cave and wrote the Quran. Alongside a multimedia tour of Israel and the Vatican, the speaker will engage the symbols that have constellated around these three plot points while attending to the spiritual and philosophical implications that surface in the process.

Will Linn holds a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of the South (a.k.a. Sewanee), is the youngest student to complete Pacifica’s doctoral coursework in Mythological Studies, and recently returned from a pilgrimage to Israel and the Vatican. He co-edited the school’s creative journal, Between, and is co-founder/co-leader of the Joseph Campbell Mythological RoundTable® of Ojai. (facebook.com/ojaimyth)

This video overlays Plato’s Allegory of the Cave with an Abrahamic entry, departure, and return from the cavern of flesh and matter.

The script is a combination of segments from “The Republic,” as well as primary Jewish, Christian, and Islamic sources. The images are by Jewish, Christian, and Islamic artists from all over the world and throughout Abrahamic history. The videos of the cave are from various animators and online filmmakers that are credited at the end of the videos.

This was presented at The Study of Myth Conference, a collaboration of the Pacifica Graduate Institute, Opus Archives, and the Joseph Campbell Foundation.

Special thanks to: Jeff Branson, for his reading of the Abrahamic scenes Orson Welles, for his reading of Plato’s Cave

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