The Issue of Reality in The Matrix, a Movie by the Wachowskis

The Matrix, a popular movie that hit the big screen in 1999, poses an interesting question of whether humanity’s perceived reality is based on truth, or if it is all an illusion This question is not a new idea. Renowned philosophers throughout history such as Plato and Descartes asked the same question Is the world as we perceive it real? Is our reality just a dream? Are we living in some controlled, videogame-like environment where our freedom of choice is merely an illusion? These are issues that plagued Plato and Descartes so long ago, and The Matrix remind us that our modern day philosophers are no closer to finding concrete answers.

Plato addresses the issue of reality in his book The Republic. He describes a conversation between Socrates and Glaucon where Socrates poses a situation in which a several men were chained in a cave all their lives, only seeing the shadows of reality reflected on the cave wall.

One of the men is set free from the cave, and explores reality outside of it.

The discovery causes him pain because of the brightness of the sun and his slow adjustment to life outside the cave. Socrates then asks Glaucon, if after seeing the world for what it really is, should the man would return to the cave and encourage the other men to follow him out into the world, even though the adjustment will cause his comrades pain? Glaucon replies with the answer yes, This situation mirrors a conversation held between Neo and Morpheus in The Matrix (1999).

Get quality help now

WriterBelle

Verified

Proficient in: Philosophy

4.7 (657)

“ Really polite, and a great writer! Task done as described and better, responded to all my questions promptly too! ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

Morpheus escaped the illusion of the Matrix, just like Plato‘s man escaped the cave, Morpheus has now ventured back into the Matrix to try and convince Neo to follow him out. The transition into truth will be painful for Neo because he must leave his life in the Matrix behind, just like the transition from the cave to the sunlight was painful for Plato’s man Although Plato’s example refers to the physical pain of sun blindness, and The Matrix refers to the emotional pain of realizing your life is a lie, Lhe point remains the same.

ls learning the painful truth worth leaving behind blissful ignorance? BoLh Plato and The Matrix leave it up for the audience to decide. The philosopher Descartes also addresses the question of reality in his Meditations on First Philosophy. Descartes sits in front of his fireplace and wonders if he is really there, in his chair, in his living room, or if perhaps he is just dreaming it. How would he know even if he was dreaming? This relates to the situation in The Matrix when Neo discovers that all humans are in a perpetual sleeping state, connected to the main computer, basically dreaming their entire lives within the Matrix. Descartes wonders if perhaps that‘s exactly what reality is But Descartes mentions an aspect to reality that The Matrix does not consider: The existence of God. Descartes comes to the conclusion that because God is a supremely good being, He would not deceive humanity by creating a false reality.

He mentions that if humanity is being deceived about the true nature of reality, it would have to be the work of a malignant demon, The Matrix does not address the existence of God, although the audience must assume that there is some force behind Lhe giant computer that all humanity is attached to, dreaming their lives away So, is there a way for humanity to concretely prove whether the world around us is real or if we are trapped in a virtual reality? I would say that it can be done on an individual basis, but not for humanity as a whole, For example, I believe life around me is real because I am a Christian and I believe what the Bible says about the creation of Earth to be true.

To me an in individual, this is a concrete belief and there is no doubt to me that it is true, But to any non-Christians, whether they practice another religion or no religion at all, would either have to come up with a different explanation for themselves, or live with the constant nagging questions that bothered Plato and Descartes Because everyone supports his own concept of reality, reality is therefore considered relative. Therefore the answer to whether our individual perception of reality is true is also relative and must be decided by each individual, Writers like Plato and Descartes, and movies like The Matrix help individuals as they search for their relative truths Ultimately, these works of literature and cinema leave the truth for the audience to decide.