In Plato's philosophy, the root cause of evil and societal issues is not malice but ignorance. This perspective is integral to his larger philosophical framework, where knowledge equates to virtue. Plato believed that true knowledge leads to right action; thus, ignorance inevitably results in wrong choices and moral decay. This idea is vividly depicted in his Allegory of the Cave, where prisoners, unaware of the world beyond their shadows, are trapped in ignorance. For Plato, education is the liberator, guiding people from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge and moral understanding. He asserts that by conquering ignorance through education and philosophical inquiry, individuals can achieve moral excellence, and by extension, society can progress towards greater justice and virtue.