Comparing The Matrix to various philosophies. (441 hits)
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Submitted by BlandWagon (View user info) at 2007-07-26 01:25:11 EDT
I'm taking philosophy at community college for something to do over the summer.
And, I was just wondering if I could get some feedback before I turn this in...
Also, 5 +2s to the first person who can figure out the mildly obscure reference that is my file name.
Philip S. Schaffer
Philosophy 1
Ms. Mc. Laughlin-Powell
July 26, 2007
"Reality: That the world is a hoax, an elaborate deception spun by all-powerful machines of artificial intelligence that control us. Whoa." The Matrix is a science fiction movie that came out during the tail end of the 1990s. At the time the world was buzzing over what strange and exciting new technologies the next century would bring. And along with all of this excitement came a movie that displayed a more negative view of our future with machines. The movie opens on Neo, a fairly young man who lives a fairly normal life, other than the fact that he is a government wanted computer hacker. Neo is, within the beginning half hour of the movie, introduced to the mysterious Morpheus. Morpheus gives Neo a choice: to continue living in the world that he always thought to be real, or to be awoken in the real world. Neo chooses to break away from the fake reality, or The Matrix, and into the real reality. Once there, as he is adjusting, Neo is taught that the world in which he thought he lived is a computer program, designed by the robots that once had been invented by humans, so that the robots could feed on the humans as their primary power source. The program (The Matrix) was invented so that humans could be controlled, and it works perfectly except for the few people who break away. The computer program itself is created so that these people will be destroyed. However, we find out, Neo is "The One" and can control and change The Matrix to his will. The rest of the movie details Neo's fight against The Matrix, and against the computer's that once controlled his mind.
This movie reminds me very specifically of Hinduism. The Hindu's believe that the one thing that exists is the Brahman, and that everything else is an illusion. According to them, the world in which we think we live does not exist at all; it has been created by our minds. The Matrix takes this idea, and gives it a modern twist. In the movie, the world in which we think we live does not exist. This world is nothing but a code created by a computer, which is then used to trick the human mind into thinking that it sees and feels and hears all the things that it really does not.
However, Hinduism, as well as Platonic Dualism, teaches that the real and eternal Brahman, or The Good to Plato, balances the fake world. Both philosophies say that there is a greater force of good that exists, and that we should all strive to reach it. The Matrix is the exact opposite. In The Matrix, our world, (which is fake to the Hindus and a reflection to the Platonic Dualists) is better than actual reality. Actual reality is bleak, and it is still a physical world that is governed by natural laws and is non-eternal. (As opposed to the eternal Brahman and Good.)
The people who live on Zion, which is the last actual human city, are forced into lives of relative simplicity, and the people who fly on the ships (such as Neo) are even more so. This mirrors the idea from both Hinduism and Platonic Dualism that we should lead our lives simply. While Neo is forced into it, the believer in these two philosophies willingly decides to ignore the aesthetic things around him.
Also, the movie The Matrix is concerned with the Hindu idea of Karma, and also fatalism. Neo is "The One", an extraordinary human who can control the computer programming of The Matrix. He is part of the computer program, and the programming used to create him is actual part of a program once used to create someone just like him from many years back. In a sense, he once was another person. In the idea of Karma, your soul (or Atman) is transferred from body to body (until you finally get it right and reach the Brahman). Neo's programming and a Hindu's idea of a soul are very similar. Also, Neo is destined to be The One. A prophecy was made about him that told he would be able to control The Matrix, and would bring peace. This is the aspect of fatalism.
This movie is very much concerned with philosophy. Most importantly, it tries to answer the question that has been asked by philosophers since before the time of Plato: "What is really real?"
User Reviews
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2007-07-26 16:03:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
there was nothing in there about kung-fu.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2007-07-26 15:50:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Was this written in Chinese?
Submitted by SgtHartman (user info) at 2007-07-26 15:39:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
anyone who like this "matrix" view of reality should watch "the thirteeth floor" I think it pulls off these questions better.
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2007-07-26 05:46:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
A far more pertinent question is whether the prominance of freedom and equality in society which has resulted in spiraling crime should be replaced with prejudice and oppression. Also could consider whether the rise of consumerasim and disposable electronics means that luxery items become less desirable and thus reduce crime.
Make everything shit and worthless like it was in the 20's and thus nobody will take your crap away from you at knife point?
It seems that we've replaced idealistic bullshit with nihilism and are reaping a harvest of glorious isolation! No longer do men have to literally rub shoulders with one another whilst they piss into a trough, now they can do it in clean settings with thoughtful barriers between the urinals! Prevent rape by making sex seem unhygenic and a way of catching disease, procreation can be done by clean, clinical, insemination!
It all seems a bit dark to me, but then I really love the degradation inherant in sex. It's a shame we don't have the diametrically opposed gender perspectives on cleanliness anymore. I used to love saying "cleanliness is for pussies" over dinner. Ah well. I suppose we must either be part of the change or crushed under it's treads.
Submitted by PhillipTheGreat (user info) at 2007-07-26 02:50:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Thanks rob.
Yeah, we were constricted to 750 words, I should mention.
Lamesauce, I know.
Submitted by rob_berg (user info) at 2007-07-26 02:40:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
This reads more like a movie review.
If you want to do well in this course, you need to dig WAY deeper than this. I enjoyed bits n' pieces of it though.
Submitted by PhillipTheGreat (user info) at 2007-07-26 02:08:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by beer-turtle (user info) at 2007-07-26 01:35:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
1st off I would have taken your name, class and teacher etc off before posting it.
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Yeah, I changed um.
Submitted by The_taste_of_Monkeys (user info) at 2007-07-26 01:46:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Sinistral (user info) at 2007-07-26 06:39:18 BST (#)
Ranking: 0
Might I submit, for your consideration, solipsism.
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I used to think Chinese people were watching me in some kind of even more boring Truman Show like situation.
I was 7.
Im still not convinced they are not.
Submitted by Sinistral (user info) at 2007-07-26 01:39:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Might I submit, for your consideration, solipsism.
Submitted by beer-turtle (user info) at 2007-07-26 01:35:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
1st off I would have taken your name, class and teacher etc off before posting it.
2nd: This idea has been done to death. As with any pop culture the novelty fades mainly due to its own inherent popularity. When many think about one thing they still come to different conclusions.
This is indeed based all on perception, much like the matrix was all about perception.
What is real what is not real.
Doubting ones own existence and getting caught up in the futility of trying to find out why were here.
Truth is most likely none of us will ever know why we are here, does it really matter WHY anyways?
The fact is we are here, so throw the whole "why" of it to the wind, throw up your arms and enjoy the ride.
Submitted by Lucifer_Industries (user info) at 2007-07-26 01:34:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
What most people fail to see is beyond even the relatively "deep" surface of the philosophy of the Matrix films. Clearly, unless NEO is a god incarnate, he is either himself a program, or the "real world" in which Zion exists is yet another program running sublevel to the main architecture program which is the Matrix.
Malone
Submitted by d_prime (user info) at 2007-07-26 01:33:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
The Matrix is proof that bullshit ideas like that of Plato and Descartes, that whole "real isn't real" bullshit, which have turned the subject of philosophy into a joke, do reach the public.
Submitted by Sinistral (user info) at 2007-07-26 01:27:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
The band "The Smiths"
Anyway, in regards to the post, the whole "Matrix vs. philosophies/Christianity" has been done to death, mainly due to the fact that The Matric is eight years old.
Submitted by PhillipTheGreat (user info) at 2007-07-26 01:27:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Dearly beloved, we gather here to mourn the death of... MY GODAMN FORMATTING!
(That's right Fat Tony, I said god damn! Deal with it! God damn christians.)