Plato’s ‘Divided Line’ is a model indicating not only levels of knowledge,
but basically levels of everything. It is divided into four levels and two
sides. The left side consists of ways we know, become aware of, and perceive
things, while the right side consists of the objects of knowledge, awareness,
and perception. The bottom half includes those things in the physical realm and
the top half includes those things in the spiritual and intellectual realm. The
highest point in the physical realm is the sun, and the highest point in the
spiritual realm is the form of the good and beautiful, both of which are
essentially impossible to reach. The different levels mean different things. On
the lowest level, the left side is made up of our imagination, perception, and
conjecture. The right side is made up of shadows and mirages. The next level up,
on the left, is where we believe something because we see it. The right side of
this level is where we find all physical things. At the top of the physical
realm before entering the spiritual realm, is the sun. The next level up is the
lowest level in the spiritual realm. The left side of this level includes
thinking from hypotheses, while the right side includes objects of math and
science. The top level in Plato’s model contains true knowledge and
dialectical thinking on the left. The rite contains all forms and ideas. The
topmost point, the forms of the good and beautiful, is the ultimate goal of
human happiness, or eudaimonia. These non-physical forms are the ultimate
reality, the ideal perfect model of all that exists. These different levels
apply to knowledge, perception, awareness, and ethics in the same way. For each
of these things, the higher one goes in the model, the higher one goes in any of
these particular areas. For example, regarding different levels of knowledge,
the lowest level is on the bottom and the highest level is on top. Therefore,
the closer one gets to the top of the model, the more knowledge one has
Eskildsen, p.2 and vice-versa. The same holds true for the other areas, as well,
and they are all related to each other. Using knowledge in another example, the
higher level of knowledge one reaches, the higher one’s ethical standards are,
as well. Because of these relationships, Plato’s ‘Divided Line’ relates to
all areas of life.