Essay on Examining Reality - 1144 Words

Watching the film ‘The Matrix,’ it is natural to question whether the world we live in is real or not. Neo, the hero, comes to know that the world he lives in is not real thanks to Morpheus. In the future world, the computer rules humans, who are, in turn, born to grow in an incubator. Further, human cerebral nerves are connected to a computer networks, which implies men cannot help living in another incubator till death although they cannot recognize they live in the incubator. Plato’s allegory of the cave is analogous to the story line found in ‘The Matrix.’ People live in a cave, looking at their shadows reflected on the cave wall. They never realize they are in a cave. Plato’s allegory of the cave assumes key words leading the story†¦show more content†¦In Ap, the spatial setting for the novel is a big market called AP, where they have set up strict rules. However, we cannot realize there are such rules. â€Å"cat-and-dog-food-bre akfast-cereal-macaroni-rice-raisins-seasonings-spreads-spaghetti-soft-drinks-crackers-and-cookies aisle†(John Updike 602) Even products displayed in showcases in the market are arranged following a certain order We cannot even imagine we are locked in the rules determined by the market. Rather, we feel comfort in the space and unknowingly adjust ourselves to it. In addition, as in the novel, â€Å"The sheep pushing their carts down the aisle† (John Updike 602) customers are described as sheep. Why did the author depict customers as sheep? Sheep spend a whole day as the shepherd drives them. Sheep cannot make any decision even on when to eat or to go home. They have no autonomy. They are to follow the rules the shepherd decides. The author compares customers to sheep based on similarity between the two in that humans adjust themselves to the reality where rules exist. People who get used to the reality of rules tend to be frightened to see anyone emerge to break the rule s. â€Å"is it done† (John Updike 602) On seeing girls in nothing but swimsuits, Stokesis becomes flabbergasted. Who in the world appears in the marketShow MoreRelatedEssay about A Journey of Self Examination541 Words   |  3 PagesMental Health Counselor. He has also authored a book called, â€Å"Finding Serenity in an Age of Anxiety†. â€Å"As a psychotherapist, I see so many tragic examples of the effect of an unexamined life. The good news is that it is never too late to start examining our life more thoroughly – and to reap the rewards.† (Gerzon) One might wonder how they can go about this self examination and perhaps if they are a busy individual, where they can find the time to partake in this self-examination. In my opinionRead MorePlato, Descartes, And The Matrix1150 Words   |  5 Pagespractically endless list of philosophical questions. 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The Tractatus offers to take both language and reality to establish what we can really know about the world, by considering the idea that both languageRead MoreEssay about 3 Stories About Coming of Age903 Words   |  4 PagesIs A Season† by Alistair MacLeod, â€Å"The Sunrise on the Veld,† by Doris Lessing, and â€Å"Stones,† by Sandre Birdsell, all of the same theme â€Å"Coming of Age.† They all go through hardship, pain, and loss. In each of these stories the protagonist realizes reality in three different ways: by facing death, by watching one closest to them get hurt or made a fool, and by realizing his or hers surroundings. Firstly in the story â€Å"Sunrise on the Veld,† by Doris Lessing the main character notices the real worldRead MoreOn Religion : Speeches And Its Cultural Despisers By Friedrich Schleiermacher1306 Words   |  6 Pagesconcept of the universe. Religion is, therefore, a necessary part of the triplet of thinking and acting if one is to hold the unified view of the universe which underlies Schleiermacher’s entire conception of reality. Schleiermacher fortifies this idea of the necessity of religion by examining the form in which speculation appears when it is not accompanied by its necessary counterpart, religion. He says that without religion, speculation is nothing but a â€Å"stiff and barren skeleton† (On Religion, pageRead MoreDescaetes: What Is Error? Essay1478 Words   |  6 Pagesjudgment. According to Descartes, judgments are applying our ideas to the external world, trying to affirm or deny something as they have an objective reality. He states that judgments are a key component to why we can commit errors. For example to affirm or deny that a certain store has exactly ten people in it would be a presumed judgment on reality. You are not only taking the idea of the amount of people in a store, but trying to apply it to the external world, which can lead to error. By sheerRead MoreAnalysis Of Parmenides Description Of The Three Roads1476 Words   |  6 PagesIn this essay, I am going to examine t he Parmenidean thoughts on reality through examining Parmenides’ description of the three roads, and explore his conclusion that we can only talk of that which is. To venture along the first ‘road’ is to talk only of that which is, and by accepting this conclusion, infer that the world is an infinite, unified and unchanging entity, thus advancing the monistic argument. The second road restricts one’s thoughts to only notions of the non-existent, and which weRead MoreAllegory Of The Cave By Plato974 Words   |  4 Pagesworld is a reflection of more perfect and ideal forms. As the story begins, Plato’s teacher, Socrates, presents a world of alternate reality to Plato’s brother Glaucon by telling him to imagine a cave full of prisoner’s who have been chained their entire lives. The shadows, voices, and figures given to them by the puppeteers on the wall have constructed the only reality the prisoners have ever known. Those few interpret ations lead the prisoners to believe the shadows are real. To the prisoners, theyRead MoreComparing The Matrix With Readings From Plato And Descartes1023 Words   |  5 Pagesaccurate. By examining these two readings, and the movie, it will allow the author to show some comparisons, and to show how they are also different as this essay indicates the world is very real. The Matrix In The Matrix, Neo realizes his world is in reality a computer generated world, in which people only live simulated lives, evident of being unreal. The movie portrays the world as ersatz, it is a venue that allows people to live a seeming normal life, but in reality they do notRead MoreFun Home By Alison Bechdel954 Words   |  4 PagesGatsby acts as a wealthy by using money earned from illegal transactions, and Bechdel’s father garnishes his house using a schoolteacher’s little salary. The transformations are method for them to realize their dreams as living in their own created realities. The allusion about Gtasby’s and her father’s change reveals the reason of her father’s construction of a fictional world. At the same time, for Bechdel’s father, the fabricated world is so real. Bechdel writes that like Gatsby, her father fueled