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Comparing The Matrix Film And Skepticism

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Tiffani Covington
PHI 100
Professor Young
Skepticism
01/07/2018

Skepticism is something which the early philosophers such as Rene Descartes and George Berkeley addressed, and still, the issue of reality has remained debated for centuries by philosophers (Schmerheim, 2015). This paper discusses the topic of whether the Matrix film is more like Descartes’ evil deceiver or otherwise like the Berkeley’s God by analyzing the philosophy with regards to the Matrix film. The Matrix is a 1999 film that is significantly founded on the question of what is reality and Berkeley and Descartes, on the other hand, perceived the world as having two different versions of the truth. This paper will thus discuss the philosophy of Descartes and Berkeley concerning the concept of reality and then provide supporting evidence how the Matrix film is a reflection of their ideas.

The Matrix film describes a world in which the reality that is perceived by humans. The Matrix which is a reality that is established by malevolent machines. The machines then overcome and appease the humans so that the devices can get a source of energy from their electrical activity and bodies’ heat (Schmerheim, 2015). In this film, Keanu Reeves plays a role as a computer programmer lives a double life as a hacker known as “Neo.” Neo receives cryptic messages on the monitor of his computer after which he begins searching for the person behind the messages called Morpheus. After finding Morpheus, Neo is told that

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