Plato's allegory of the cave and Edwards' Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
Plato and Edwards both use repetition to state their arguments. Edwards seems to say that there are only two types of people in the community, sinners and non-sinners. Edwards continuously calls the non-believers in God sinners and says how they are trying to convert people who do believe in God onto their side, and that their actions will result in the decimation in the community. He also argues that God has control over everyone, sinners and non-sinners alike, and that actions will accumulate over time: bad actions will result in the wrath of God and the destruction of the person as they will be sent to hell, but if one remains loyal to God and keeps a strong faith, they will be rewarded with an afterlife in heaven. Sinners are the outliers of the community and must be exiled in order to save the non-sinners from being converted to the "bad" side and falling into their temptation. The non-sinners would be praised and aided by God and will end up going to heaven unlike the sinners who are thrown into the pits of hell.
Plato uses repetition to imply why it is good to not have monotony within a community. He states that people are different and individuality is a good thing because in order to maintain a functional society, a community must be composed of people with different ideas and beliefs. However, to maintain this society, members must understand each other and be able to see why people think the way that they do. Plato begins by explaining how some people are only seeing what they want to see, as they have been lied to for their entire lives by only seeing a show being put on by puppets, and once they go into the real world, they do not like the reality around them and wish to return to the cave and the comfort that it's lies provide them with. Plato states that people who have been awakened of the truth must go into the cave and see what lies the cave dwellers are repetitively being told, and only then when they are able see and understand the minds of the cave-dwellers is the community able to properly function because they have a better knowledge of those who are different from themselves.
Edwards seemed to be directing his speech towards his followers and the people of the community, while Socrates in Plato's The Allegory of the Cave is speaking to only one person. Edwards is trying to make people see what will happen to not only them but also the community if they do not have a strong faith in God by continuously using the Bible and explaining how God has punished sinners. He is trying to give a sense of fear within the community that if they do not strengthen their relationship and faith in God that the may be destined to the same unfortunate fate. Socrates is speaking to Glaucon, who seems to have come from the cave, because he is only able to agree with what Socrates is saying, as if it is new information to him. However, as Glaucon had time away from the cave and has been enlightened of the real truth of the world around him, he is able to form his own opinions and disagree with Socrates at times and present a new outlook for Socrates with his input in the conversation. Socrates is trying to make Glaucon understand that being different is okay, and is in fact essential to their community for they need it to be composed of different people so they can each contribute to it in different ways, however the primary goal is to be able to understand each other because only when they are able to achieve a level of mutual understanding as the community able to grow as a whole.
Plato uses repetition to imply why it is good to not have monotony within a community. He states that people are different and individuality is a good thing because in order to maintain a functional society, a community must be composed of people with different ideas and beliefs. However, to maintain this society, members must understand each other and be able to see why people think the way that they do. Plato begins by explaining how some people are only seeing what they want to see, as they have been lied to for their entire lives by only seeing a show being put on by puppets, and once they go into the real world, they do not like the reality around them and wish to return to the cave and the comfort that it's lies provide them with. Plato states that people who have been awakened of the truth must go into the cave and see what lies the cave dwellers are repetitively being told, and only then when they are able see and understand the minds of the cave-dwellers is the community able to properly function because they have a better knowledge of those who are different from themselves.
Edwards seemed to be directing his speech towards his followers and the people of the community, while Socrates in Plato's The Allegory of the Cave is speaking to only one person. Edwards is trying to make people see what will happen to not only them but also the community if they do not have a strong faith in God by continuously using the Bible and explaining how God has punished sinners. He is trying to give a sense of fear within the community that if they do not strengthen their relationship and faith in God that the may be destined to the same unfortunate fate. Socrates is speaking to Glaucon, who seems to have come from the cave, because he is only able to agree with what Socrates is saying, as if it is new information to him. However, as Glaucon had time away from the cave and has been enlightened of the real truth of the world around him, he is able to form his own opinions and disagree with Socrates at times and present a new outlook for Socrates with his input in the conversation. Socrates is trying to make Glaucon understand that being different is okay, and is in fact essential to their community for they need it to be composed of different people so they can each contribute to it in different ways, however the primary goal is to be able to understand each other because only when they are able to achieve a level of mutual understanding as the community able to grow as a whole.