Introduction
At the first glance, The Matrix seems to be a cinematographic work of science fiction which is based on the clash of men and machines in a virtual world. The film was an unbeaten success in the 1990s and saw record-breaking revenues across the worlds. However, it is also true that there some specific manifestations of the renowned philosophical theories in this film. The core theme of the film is based on the notion that the world is an illusion and this concept has been used by many philosophers in this world to express their theories of philosophy. This essay aims at exploring all the main philosophical themes manifested in The Matrix.
Philosophical themes manifested in ‘The Matrix’
There are four main philosophical themes manifested in the Matrix and they are theories of famous philosophers such as Plato, Socrates, and Rene Descartes. The film’s plot refers to these philosophies at various points and each of them will be discussed in the coming segment to explain their manifestation.
Plato’s philosophy of illusion: The allegory of the cave
Plato’s philosophy of the allegory of the cave explains the state of people who are kept as prisoners in a cave in such a way that they are restricted to look behind them. These people are betrayed by the illusions which make them believe in the false images (shown to them) to be the constituents of the real world. One day, one of them looks behind him and realizes that the people were actually looking at their own shadows and considered them to be the real world. As this man breaks loose, he not only sees the real world himself but he also tries to return to the cave and emancipate the rest of prisoners by educating them about the real world. The character of Neo in ‘The Matrix’ is an exact manifestation of this philosophy because he stands out from the rest of humans and takes a chance against the illusions created by the machines of the future.
Socrates’ philosophy of the prophecy of wisdom: The oracle of Delphi
Socrates believed in the Delphi to be the centre of the world and he received a cryptic prophecy from the Oracle that he was the wisest man on the earth. Socrates denied this prophecy and later proved to be the wisest man when all his contemporaries claimed to know more than they actually knew. The Oracle in ‘The Matrix’ also made a similar prophecy about Neo and although New denied having such wisdom, she stood firm on her belief. Thus, this philosophy of Socrates is precisely manifested in the film.
Descartes’ philosophy of the certainty of existence
Descartes’ philosophy of certainty is based on the assumption that a person’s existence is the most suitable proof of the fact that the world he lives in is real and not an illusion posed by some devil. He denies believing his senses regarding what he feels and perceives of the real world because the illusion can definitely affect the senses but not the fact of the existence of an individual. Neo also believed in his existence in the illusion of the virtual world known as the ‘The Matrix’ and fought his way through it to stand for the freedom of humans against the rise of machines.
Conclusion
The essay has explained how the philosophical themes from eminent philosophers are manifested into the film, The Matrix. This film uses the concept of the virtual world (matrix) where machines and humans struggled with each to dominate for their survival. The protagonist Neo had a definite prophecy (by the Oracle) regarding his ability to set the entire world free from the dominance of the machines. The film is obviously a masterpiece which has unique insights in its plot that are adapted from prominent philosophical themes.
