Brandon Moss Philosophy of The Human Person Professor Elizabeth Sikes October 5th, 2012 Matrix Reflection: A Brief
Discussion on the Perception of Reality and Freedom I am faced with a decision. In front of me are two pills of blue and red nature, yet both hold separate narratives. The blue pill returns me to an ignorant bliss that I am accustomed to, while the red pill brings upon enlightenment and frees me from a simulated reality. Which pill do I choose? I select the blue pill and wake up from what must have been a dream. Why did I choose the Matrix over reality? Though a brief discussion of the perception of reality and freedom, I will explain my decision for taking the blue pill and returning to the Matrix. Let us assume if I choose to stay in the Matrix, I continue with my current life that has been selected for me. Choosing the red pill, on the other hand, would lead to life in the actual world; much like Neo lives in after he has been freed from the Matrix. A stark difference between me remaining in the Matrix and Neo leaving the Matrix is that I feel in control of my life in my current reality (The Matrix). Neo, however, does not feel in control of his life and is consequently unsatisfied with his existence. On the other hand, I am generally satisfied with the reality the Matrix has selected for me. Why would I want to leave? I feel free because my mind perceives my existence to be free. Interestingly enough, Neo probably feels a similar freedom after his mind was released. So who truly has more freedom? Neo lives in an objectively true world, where as I live in a subjectively true world. It seems to reason that an objectively true world is clearly the only world where one can be free because it is independent of the mind. If we consider Descartes Second Meditation, he reasons that the act of perceiving something is
proof that he exists since he is able to formulate thoughts, which require someone to think these thoughts. Juxtaposing this reasoning to our current knowledge of the existence of the Matrix, then we see that what we really only need to believe is that our minds exist. If our mind exists, then we can participate in any reality we choose and fully believe that is our reality, whether it be an objectively reality or subjective reality it will feel all the same. Although either reality may feel the same, are we freer in an objective reality like the machine-controlled future world or in a subjective reality like the Matrix? Overall, the film suggests that objective freedom is more powerful than subjective freedom. This brings about the notion of dualism that is frequently questioned by Descartes. The film suggests that humans are not free in the Matrix; we are enslaved by the incredibly intelligent technology that we created. However, it reasons that once the protagonist Neo was set free from the Matrix and after he was able to free his mind, he ultimately became more power than the constraints of technology. This is what the film would like us to consider; a search for objective reality is always more powerful than subjective reality. However, this is from a purely situational standpoint. Neo is The One, which by definition would mean that there is only one person that can free themselves in such a way to be more powerful that the technology. If I had to remain in the reality that Neo lives in after his separation from the Matrix, I do not think I would feel free. I would have to live in a filthy ship that travels through the rubble and wreckage of the desolate earth day after day while eating a sloppy mix of proteins and vitamins to sustain my life. My current subjective reality that has been supplied by the Matrix seems significantly more prosperous than the objective reality that is portrayed in the film. If I choose to believe I hold more freedom in the Matrix than in the objectively true world, then my freedom would feel no different than someone who choose the objectively true world and thus feels free.
