BUDDHIST AND PLATONIC THEMES IN THE FILM

Charlene Bocago, Mark Gavinio, Jervin Labro, Anne Madamba, Seul Gi Park, Jim Santos

What to you are the central themes in Plato’s allegory of the cave?

What are the ways by which the film closely resembles the allegory of the cave?

Conversely, what are the ways by which the film differs from it?

Allegory of the Cave

Central Themes• Imagination• Belief• Understanding

Imagination

• There are prisoners inside the cave that were chained since birth. They can’t look to either side or behind them. Behind them is a large fire that reflects statues that cast shadows on the wall. These shadows portray stories and because these are the only things that the prisoners can see. They believe that it is reality but they don’t know that these are just mere images, or their imagination.

Belief

• When one of the prisoners was unchained, he looked at the fire and statues that once dictated his perception of reality. He then realized that these things are now the new form of reality.

Understanding

• Once the prisoner went outside of the cave, he recognized shadows and reflections. When he looked around, he realized the existence of people and nature. When he looked at the sun, he knew that this was the Form of the Good and know he is aware of what reality really is.

What to you are the central themes in Plato’s allegory of the cave?

What are the ways by which the film closely resembles the allegory of the cave?

Conversely, what are the ways by which the film differs from it?

People are fooled into a false reality

InceptionCreating

dreamscapes

Allegory of the Cave

Projection of shadows on the

walls

People do not remember the beginning

InceptionThey do not

remember the beginning or how they end up in the dream situations.

Allegory of the CaveThe cave dwellers do not remember when

they entered the cave.

People can not anymore distinguish reality from what is fake.

InceptionMal do not know which world is real anymore.

Allegory of the CaveShadows on the wall are

the only thing the prisoners can see, thus

thinking the shadows are real, when in reality its the puppets and fire that are

casting the shadows.

Planting of idea in the mind

InceptionIdea must be planted within the person’s

subconscious for inception to work

Allegory of the CavePrisoners mistake

appearance for reality for they believed

surely in the shadows they are seeing.

What to you are the central themes in Plato’s allegory of the cave?

What are the ways by which the film closely resembles the allegory of the cave?

Conversely, what are the ways by which the film differs from it?

Difference between Inception and Allegory of the Cave

Inception Allegory of the Cave

• At the start, people already have a full sense of true reality.• From true reality to false reality• Can control the structure of the false reality/dreams• Reality is known through confirmation• Can distinguish reality and dream (use of totems)

• At the start, people have little or no sense of reality at all.• From a limited reality to a wider one• Had no idea that their “reality” is controlled by somebody else• Their “reality” is known through interpretation and inferring• Had difficulty in believing what is reality

HOW DOES THE MIND SEPARATE FALSE REALITY FROM TRUE REALITY?

Distinguishing Reality from False Reality

Basic Concepts• Memory of what is real• Physicality and Perception• Rationality and Confirmation• Personal Relevance

Specifically in the Movie• Totems

ENUMERATE INSTANCES (KEY SCENES) WHERE THE FILM CLEARLY DELINEATES “FALSE” REALITY FROM “TRUE” REALITY.

IF SOMEONE CAN INFILTRATE YOUR DREAMS IN ORDER TO MAKE YOU BEHAVE A CERTAIN WAY, DO YOU REALLY HAVE FREE WILL? IS FREE WILL THAT EASILY MANIPULATED?

• “Dreams feel real while we are dreaming and it is only when we wake up that we realize that something is actually strange”

DREAMBELIEVE

NOT

REALITY

DREAM

Suffering (Dukkha)• Cobb was suffering because of his desire to see his

children and of the pain and guilt of Mal's death, which is evident in his dreams or subconsciousness 

Origin of suffering (Samudāya)• Pain from loss of loved one (Mal) and inability to see

his children in reality• Guilt out of the belief that he has caused Mal's

death

DISCUSS HOW COBB’S ACTIONS FOLLOW CLOSELY TO EITHER SOME OF THE 4 NOBLE TRUTHS OR ALL OF THEM

Cessation of suffering (Nirodha)• Taking the opportunity to see his children by performing

inception• Cobb was able to liberate himself from attachment when

he confronted Mal in his dreams and acknowledged reality of her death

Path to the cessation of suffering (Magga)• Cobb tries to resolve his inner conflicts with his memory

of Mal with the help of Ariadne• Cobb's right mindfulness by developing awareness of the

body, sensations, feelings and states of mind (Eightfold path)

DISCUSS HOW COBB’S ACTIONS FOLLOW CLOSELY TO EITHER SOME OF THE 4 NOBLE TRUTHS OR ALL OF THEM