"The Matrix" and the Philosophy in its Code

 

The Matrix, directed by the Wachowskis and released in 1999, depicts a world where the human race has become enslaved by machines and are trapped in a simulation that keeps them pacified while they are used as a power source. The protagonist Neo (Keanu Reeves) is awaken from this illusion by the rebel leader Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and is trained to become the One and lead the way to complete freedom from the Matrix for all of humanity. Since its release at the end of the 1990s, The Matrix has been cited as one of, if not the most, philosophical films to be made, with themes of perceptions of reality, nihilism and scepticism, employing theories from many philosophers such as René Descartes and Plato. When American philosopher Thomas Wartenberg wrote about how cinema can do more than illustrate philosophy, it can be argued that The Matrix might be the prime example of how a cinematic text can not only “illustrate” philosophy, but also put it into practice.

One of the most major philosophical ideas examined within The Matrix is the Platonic idea of the prisoners in the cave. In the Allegory of the Cave, Plato describes a scenario where there is a group of prisoners living in a cave where they are controlled or enslaved by shadow images being created by the prison keepers to keep the prisoners in line. The scenario goes on to examine what would happen if one of the prisoners managed to escape their captivity and discovered the real world, and how they would likely be unable to convince the others of the existence of this other “real” world outside of the shadow images that they believe to be the real world. This metaphor demonstrates the “effects of education and the lack of it in our nature” (Plato, 380BCE; 514a-520a), as well as the transition from naïve childhood with a narrow world view to fully-realised adult with wider social awareness, as noted by Christopher Falzon;

“It calls to mind first of all what is involved in the process of an individual’s growing, of leaving childhood behind and becoming an adult. […] Second, the cave calls to mind forms of imprisonment and their overcoming in a wider social context.” (2002; 22) 

In The Matrix, Neo begins as a computer programmer/hacker called Thomas Anderson, initially ignorant of the true nature of his existence, and with only a small inkling as to the Matrix, without knowing what exactly it is. Here he is in a childlike naïvety, convinced that existence is just as he sees it, similar to how Plato’s prisoners are convinced by the shadow images. But in contrast to Plato’s allegory, Morpheus - the escaped and awaken prisoner - is able to also free Neo, as well as a small contingent of resistance fighters, from the Matrix and enter into the real world, which is a dystopian wasteland predominated populated by the machines and their power-siphoning devices that keep the rest of humanity captive. The comparisons between the Allegory of the Cave and The Matrix can be expanded upon by noting the original conceit of the “effects of education and the lack of it in our nature” that Plato looked to discuss; Neo, when freed from the Matrix, begins his training to become more adept at transversing through it and potentially become “the One” as Morpheus hopes - this involves a fast-track education of fighting techniques such as kung-fu, an education that may not have been previously available to residents of the Matrix. 

Another major philosophical conceit heavily featured in The Matrix is the debate about the validity of what we perceive as the “real world” or whether it is in fact merely a “dream world”, which has its basis in the sceptical arguments proposed by René Descartes, specifically with the arguments about “…the inability to distinguish dreams from waking experiences, and the Evil Demon hypothesis…” (Shaw, 2008; 45) There are numerous references and comparisons that would make the Matrix equivalent to a dream world; literary references to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, both stories end with the protagonist awakening to discover that their adventure and the worlds they visited were in a dream world - in The Matrix, it is the inverse, with Neo needing to awaken to go on the adventure, beginning it by exiting the dream world;

Morpheus: “You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.” (Wachowskis, 1999)

Cypher: “It means ‘buckle your seat belt, Dorothy, 'cause Kansas is going bye-bye’.” (Wachowskis, 1999)

Even the character of Morpheus is a reference to the concept of dreams, as he is named for the Roman God of dreams and sleep, and is the one with the power to awaken Neo from the dream world of the Matrix. He is also the one with the intimate knowledge of the Matrix and how it works in relation to the human mind and is able to explain it to Neo, with explanations that echo the thesis put forth by Descartes;

“He [Descartes] raises the question: how does he know that he is sitting by the fire, writing and not asleep, in bed, merely dreaming that he is sitting by fire, writing?” (Falzon, 2002; 25)

Morpheus: “Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world? […] What is real? How do you define ‘real’? If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then 'real' is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.” (Wachowskis, 1999)

It should be noted as well as even before Morpheus first meets Neo to explain the nature of the Matrix and the dichotomy of the real and dream worlds, the main antagonist Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) describes Neo as living a double life; as Thomas Anderson, a computer programmer for a respectable company who has a social security number, pays their taxes and helps their landlady with the garbage - a seemingly ‘normal’ resident of the Matrix; and ‘Neo’ the computer hacker, which is the identity that he most associates with, as it represents his independence from the mind-controlling system of the Matrix. Thomas Anderson is the dream self, Neo is the real person - this is further demonstrated by the concept of the ‘residual self-image’ that the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar use when they enter into the Matrix; a dream image they create with their minds for navigation in the dream world. 

Another argument originally proposed by Descartes that appears in The Matrix, which is an extension of the previous dream arguments, is the Evil Demon hypothesis, which posits that there is an all-powerful and deceitful being that is creating and controlling the dream worlds that we inhabit. This idea has been somewhat updated in more recent times to the ‘brain in a vat’ scenario, which is more in line with what is included in the film;

“How do we know we are not in fact brains floating in a vat, hooked up with various electrodes, with a mad scientist using a computer to feed electronic impulses into us, giving us all the experiences we now have, and making us think that everything is normal? The idea of systematic deception by an all-powerful malevolent being thus raises the possibility that we could be so profoundly manipulated that everything we have ever taken to be reality could be illusory.” (Falzon, 2002; 28)

The artificially-intelligent machines that have taken over the world and enslaved humanity in the Matrix are the Evil Demon or the ‘mad scientist’ of this scenario, manipulating the captive human minds to pacify them. In order to keep control of potentially unruly minds, the machines also employ the use of the Agents, who act as in-world wardens to maintain a narrative that can be comprehended by an average indoctrinated human mind.

There is also some nihilistic ideas incorporated into the film, as evidenced by the inclusion of the book that Neo owns at the beginning, Simulacra and Simulation - which itself influences the film with ideas and themes of the ‘hyper-real’ - and the chapter that is opened up on, entitled ‘On Nihilism’. Writer Kevin Stoehr has identified two types of nihilism present in films;

"Passive nihilism undercuts all possible sources of meaning and value, whether they be in the past, present or future.” (Shaw, 2008; 69)

This can arguably be found with the character of Cypher (Joe Pantoliano), who loses the ability to see any value in a life outside of the Matrix and is willing to accept enslavement and illusion over a harder, harsher but real life - “ignorance is bliss”. The second form of nihilism is more predominant throughout the whole film;

“Active nihilism (which Nietzsche himself employed) demolishes traditional values to clear the way for the creation of new goals and purposes for the human species.” (Shaw, 2008; 69)

This is the ultimate goal of Morpheus and the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar, who seek to demolish the long-standing, ‘traditional’ Matrix and find a better existence for humanity.

In conclusion, the philosophy employed and incorporated in The Matrix is extensive and far-reaching, while also being heavily intertwined and closely linked. While most heavily influenced by René Descartes and his hypothesis of dreams and reality, these arguments have their own basis in Platonic concepts. And The Matrix not only uses these philosophic ideas, but also makes use of many others, as well as literary and religious symbolism (which often also have their own philosophical origins) and constructs a film text that can be described as being a philosophical text that exercises the ideas it presents.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Beiser, F. C. (1987). The fate of reason: German philosophy from kant to fichte Harvard University Press.

Falzon, C. (2002). Philosophy goes to the movies: An introduction to philosophy. New York: Routledge.

Harman, G. (1973). Thought. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Kaufmann, W. (Ed.). (1954). The portable nietzsche (W. Kaufmann Trans.).

Plato. (380 BCE). Republic (VII) (T. Seehan Trans.). Retrieved from https://web.stanford.edu/class/ihum40/cave.pdf

Shaw, D. (2008). Film and philosophy: Taking movies seriously. London: Wallflower Press.

Stoehr, K. L. (2006). Nihilism in film and television: A critical overview from citizen kane to the sopranos. Jefferson, North Carolina: MacFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers.

Silver, J. (Producer), & Wachowskis, T. (Director). (1999). The matrix. [Motion Picture] Warner Bros.