In this chapter the author brings us to a very small planet which consisted of a lamp and a lamplighter. We see that a biased opinion by the little prince is brought about when he tries to bring about a reason for this planet. So far we had read of how the little prince criticized the grown-ups on the basis of his trips to the different planets; but in this particular chapter we may realize that he too has started thinking like a grown up himself. This I say because when the little prince sees this planet from a distance he can see nothing but a lamp and a lamplighter present in it. This just like any of the other planets was something unusual or rather absurd, yet now the prince tries making assumptions based on fallacious reasoning that this particular planet had a reason to be present.
The reason being presumed, that ‘when the lamplighter lights his street lamp, it was as if he brought one more star to life or one flower. When he puts out his lamp, he sends the flower, or the star, to sleep. That was a beautiful occupation. And since it was beautiful, it is truly useful’.
This justification by any ordinary person would not be looked upon as plausible as it lacks any confirmation to any sort of evidence. However, the little prince’s perception is not long lasted when he learns of the actual reason by the lamplighter; of being ‘orders’ to put up a lamp. The lamplighter then explains of how his emotions are distorted and that how in the olden times his work was reasonable as the days were longer and he got more rest and how his rest is destroyed as he has to stand all day long putting out and lighting the lamp since each day lasts only one minute now due to the position of the planet.
The lesson learnt here is that any sort of reason should be formed only by the support of proofs that provide as feasible evidences. The little prince’s reasoning was incorrect and may be simply described as not well irrational as he generalized that 'beautiful is useful'. Philosophically, not all beautiful things are useless, for example when people learnt of the theory of the earth being flat it was a beautiful spectacle for them but as soon as it was proved that the earth is not flat but roundish, this 'beautiful' theory became useless. Same in the case of Economics, Keynesian and Monetarist (Neo Classical) types of economics, the beautifully structured Keynesian type is now useless.
Towards the end it is shown that the little prince wanted to stay on this planet because of his want to see the 1440 sunsets which he loved but he hides his truth by simply saying that this planet was too small for him to stay and that there was no room for two people to stay.
We may conclude on the note that it would be erroneous to blindly follow the beliefs of the little prince as they seem to be very mystified and confused, making it difficult for the knower to comprehend where he is saying the truth and not; for example: what if he had something positive in mind for the other planets he visited? So such in such a case the knower is left in a biased opinion as a consequence of the style in which the little prince talks pessimistically of other planets.
