The mentality of people in society is often strongly influenced by conflicts and common circumstances in the time span in which these people have lived. In times of war, people may be more patriotic; in times of plague, people can be more pious. Whether cynical or optimistic, understanding these mindsets allows for better insight into how these people lived their lives and the philosophies that guided them. In the case of the philosophers Plato and Epictetus, their philosophies arose amid the collapse of cities and exile. The philosophies of Plato and Epictetus differed due to their individual experiences as Plato believed that all is not what it seems, while Epictetus believed that what is presented should only matter if it fits within an individual's concerns. One of the main points of Plato's philosophy was that he believed that people should not trust their senses so easily. In the Allegory of the Cave, Plato argues that what we perceive of the world through our senses does not give us the full picture of what is really there. He claims that what we can see are only shadows of what is true, but since we are born believing what we see, we do not know that we are missing anything at all. Plato believed that in the “knowable realm,” the form of the good, the ultimate truth, is the last thing we can see, requiring greater effort than mere perception. This ultimate truth can only be found through the ability to not only perceive, but also be pulled out of the cave, or be able to think. He probably believed this because through education he felt that an order occurred in the mind that allowed thoughts to become more focused and clearer. As these thoughts became clearer, s...... middle of paper ...... thinks, but is greatly influenced by the conflicts of society and the mentality of its people. In the case of Plato and Epictetus, the philosophies they developed were formed by their loss of faith in the system of government, life as a slave, and personal experiences in exile. These experiences helped these philosophers create a set of guidelines that helped them overcome their trials and live the rest of their lives. By understanding these works, we are able to understand how historical events and ideas of the time helped lead history along the path it did. Tracking changing thinking and how different philosophies develop in different environments also allows you to evaluate how conditions improve or worsen over time. Being able to see patterns from the past may very well help us predict whether future life will prosper or decline.