Plato’s allegory of the cave, or Plato’s Cave is part of his most complex work, the Republic (514a–520a). It is a dialogue between Socrates, the main character, and Glaucon, his interlocutor. The dialogue aims to present the reader with the Platonic theory about the knowledge of the truth. Allegory of the Cave In the text,… Continue reading Plato’s Allegory of the Cave: Summary
Category: Curiosities
What Are the Characteristics of Philosophy
Philosophy is considered the queen, or mother of science. It primarily deals with the problem of knowledge. Among the main defining characteristics of philosophy are its realistic and logical approach, as well as its argumentative style, and openness to critique. Philosophy is dealing with many questions pertaining to human life and conduct. However, the most… Continue reading What Are the Characteristics of Philosophy
The Most Active Volcanoes on Earth
The Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawaii is certainly the most active volcano on earth. It is followed by Etna in Sicily and Piton de la Fournaise on the island of Reunion. It is difficult to say which other volcanoes should come next in the ranking. However, this is how one might rank the… Continue reading The Most Active Volcanoes on Earth
Where Do the Pollen Grains of Flowering Plants Develop?
The place of production of the pollen grain differs according to the plant: In gymnosperms (seed-producing plants), the pollen grain is produced in strobiles. While in angiosperms (flowering plants), the pollen grain is produced in flowers, specifically in the anther (the part of the stamen where pollen is produced). The anther is a kind of tissue-covered pouch that… Continue reading Where Do the Pollen Grains of Flowering Plants Develop?
What If We Shot a Nuclear Bomb Into the Sun?
The sun itself is a huge nuclear mechanism. It releases every day an amount of energy equal to that of millions of atomic bombs. A nuclear bomb will not leave the slightest trace on the sun and will not alter its activity. Moreover, since the solar atmosphere has a temperature of thousands of degrees, the… Continue reading What If We Shot a Nuclear Bomb Into the Sun?
Highest and Lowest Temperature in the Universe?
We will start by explaining the physical phenomenon on which the temperature that something can have depends. When the particles of an object move a lot, they generate heat, and the entity has a higher temperature. When particles move less, there is less heat, and the thing is colder. We can imagine a point where… Continue reading Highest and Lowest Temperature in the Universe?
Can We Breathe in an Environment of Pure Oxygen
What happens if you breathe pure oxygen: take a look at Divers Alert Network guidelines. Scuba equipment works by forcing compressed air into the lungs at the same pressure as the pressure of the surrounding water. The deeper you dive, the more air you use. For every 33 feet / 10 meters that you descend,… Continue reading Can We Breathe in an Environment of Pure Oxygen
Why Are Some Metals Attracted to Magnets and Others Are Not?
To keep it simple, when it comes to magnetism there are three main types of materials: Ferromagnetic: Which are strongly attracted by magnetic fields, and are mainly alloys of iron, nickel and cobalt; note that these three metals are adjacent in the periodic table. Paramagnetic: Which are weakly attracted by magnetic fields, such as oxygen.… Continue reading Why Are Some Metals Attracted to Magnets and Others Are Not?
Which Is the Longest-Living Organism on the Planet
This question came to mind after I read a 2013 news story about Ming. It is a clam from Iceland that was estimated to be 507 years old, which earned it the title of the longest-living animal on the planet. The clam was named after the dynasty that ruled China in 1499, the year in… Continue reading Which Is the Longest-Living Organism on the Planet
When Will the Next Lunar Eclipse Be?
Find out when the next lunar eclipse will be and the places in the world from where you can see it. How does a lunar eclipse occur? A lunar eclipse is produced by the passage of a planetary satellite, in this case, the Moon, and the shadow projected by the Earth. When this happens, the… Continue reading When Will the Next Lunar Eclipse Be?