Knowledge helps us manipulate the external. But for the Taoist, knowledge drives them deeper into the Internal.

The story of Plato's cave is still rooted in external dualism (either/or): either stay imprisoned and deluded within, or venture out into reality. For the Taoist, forays out of the cave allow them to also delve deeper into the gloom of their prison. Reality is neither presentable nor representable, not to the eyes anyway. Reality starts within.