The mentalities of people in society are often heavily influenced by the conflicts and circumstances that are common during the period in which those people lived. In times of war, people can be more patriotic; in times of plague, people can be more pious. Whether cynical or optimistic, understanding these mindsets provides 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 were born amid the collapse of cities and exile. The philosophies of Plato and Epictetus differed due to their individual experiences in that Plato believed that not everything was what it seemed, while Epictetus believed that what was presented should only matter. whether it relates to 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 a complete picture of what is actually there. He states that what we can see are only shadows of what is true, but since we are born believing what we see, we have no idea that anything is missing. Plato believed that in the “knowable realm,” the form of good, the ultimate truth, is the last thing we can see, which requires more effort than mere perception. This ultimate truth can only be found by being able to not only perceive, but also be dragged out of the cave or be able to think. He probably believed this because through education he felt there was an order to the mind that allowed thoughts to become more focused and clear. As these thoughts became clearer, s...... middle of paper ......thinks about them, but is greatly influenced by the conflicts of society and the mentality of its inhabitants. In the case of Plato and Epictetus, the philosophies they developed were formed by 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 get through 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 down the path it did. Tracking the evolution of thought and how different philosophies develop in different environments also helps assess how conditions improve or deteriorate over time. Being able to see patterns from the past may well help us predict whether life in the future will prosper or decline..