Plato, Descartes, and the Matrix Essay - 654 Words

Plato, Descartes, and The Matrix Kyra Eigenberger Liberty University Deception is the foundational issue prevalent in The Matrix, Plato’s allegory of the cave, and Rene Descartes meditations. In each of these excerpts the goal of answering the question of what is real and how to uncover the truth is essential. Another question that arises throughout all three excerpts is whether or not the individuals will be able to handle the truth when it is finally learnt. In The Matrix Morpheus reveals to Neo that the life he had previously accepted as an absolute reality is really a virtual reality that is manipulated by a computer which is essentially controlling the mind of every individual as they lie unconscious connected to this†¦show more content†¦Much like Neo from The Matrix, this man chose to briefly continue believing the lie, since it was more familiar. Eventually this man begins to accept this new reality by placing the knowledge of what he now knows to be true about the shadows and reflections and builds upon these facts until he re aches the principle that the sun, the very thing he previously discounted as artificial, was in fact genuine and in a sense responsible for most of his deception inside of the cave. Finally, Socrates claims this man would feel joy now that he is completely liberated from deception and has sympathy or the other’s that are still living in a false reality. This is where The Matrix and Plato’s allegory are somewhat dissimilar. While Socrates characterizes the liberated man in high spirits, Neo does not demonstrate this same pleasure after learning the truth. Unlike Neo from The Matrix and the aforementioned liberated man from Plato’s excerpt, Rene Descartes voluntarily and readily accepted that there were many deceptions in his life and was eager to uncover the truth. Congruent with the other excerpts, Descartes recognized that his senses and experiences had deceived him in the past, so he resolved to find truth outside of these approaches. Descartes’ semblance to The Matrix and Plato’s analogy is also discernible when he recounts how the misconceptions he formerly held are familiar and comfortable, making him susceptible to regressing back to thoseShow MoreRelatedPlato, Descartes, And The Matrix1150 Words   |  5 PagesSamoria Preston PHIL 201 Dr. Alexander Jech 27 November 2015 Plato, Descartes, and The Matrix Life and human existence give rise to a practically endless list of philosophical questions. Among the plethora of abstract and complexity are found questions regarding the nature of our existence and the world in which surrounds us: â€Å"What can we truly know? How can we accurately depict reality? Can we know absolutely anything for sure?† Such questions lead us down roads that twist and turn remainingRead MorePlato, Descartes, and the Matrix603 Words   |  3 Pagesas reality. The movie The Matrix is based on the Brain in the Vat. The Matrix, Rene Descartes, Meditation I Of The Things Of Which We May Doubt and Plato’s, â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave,† all hold similarities to the Brain in the Vat; therefore they hold similarities to each other. Although they hold similarities to each other there are also some differences between these three reasons. The similarities between the movie The Matrix, Plato’s cave analogy and Descartes’ Meditation I are that theyRead MoreComparing Plato And Descartes The Matrix, The Allegory Of The Cave889 Words   |  4 PagesThe short stories, written by both authors Plato and Descartes; The Matrix, The Allegory of the Cave, and Meditations on First Philosophy, focuses on what individuals believe to be reality or not within the world. The stories bring on questions of what is in fact illusion. Overall, the stories provide a guide to the truth. According to Wachowski, A, Wachowski, L (1999) in the Matrix, Mr. Anderson questions everything in the world as he knows it. He wonders if what he is involved in a computer programRead MoreComparing The Matrix With Readings From Plato And Descartes1023 Words   |  5 Pagescontrasting The Matrix with readings from Plato and Descartes This essay will discuss The Matrix, from synopsis of the following; The Republic by Plato, depicting the famous cave allegory, and Meditations on First Philosophy by Descartes, offering doubt that some senses are accurate. 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 MatrixRead MoreComparing the Views of Plato, Descartes, and the Themes of The Matrix995 Words   |  4 PagesPlato, Descartes and the Matrix Every philosopher seems to be more concerned with constitutes reality than any other factor. When different ones were discussing the law, mathematics, science they were still trying to nail down reality to their satisfaction and determine what it is and whether it truly exists the way people have always believe that it does. Descartes for example was a noted mathematician who is still studied to this day. All three snippets are looking at whether reality, actualRead MoreThe Matrix, Descartes First Meditation, And Plato s The Allegory Of The Cave909 Words   |  4 Pagestheir lives. These questions date back since man was made. Nobody knows 100% what happens to us when we die, or what our purpose is in life. Humans have a natural instinct to raise questions to material that we are uncertain of. The movie The Matrix, Descartes First Meditation, and Plato’s The Allegory of the Cave all raise different aspects to questions such as do I exist, what is reality, and how do I know? In The Allegory of the Cave, Socrates and Glaucon are conversing. Socrates asks Glaucon toRead MoreWhat do Plato, Descartes, and The Matrix all have in common? All of them study the possibility that600 Words   |  3 PagesWhat do Plato, Descartes, and The Matrix all have in common? All of them study the possibility that our world is just a fantasy. They also demand that we took a good look into the relationship concerning our senses and reality. There is one similarity between all three works that is clear: their writers are skeptical that the real world that surrounds could just be a product of our faulty senses. Can we really rely on them to justify whether or not what we are perceiving is real? â€Å"All that I haveRead MoreThe Matrix Essay899 Words   |  4 PagesCompare and Contrast The Matrix with the readings from Plato and Descartes. What are some similarities and differences? An Essay Submitted to Jason Elvis BY Williestine Harriel Liberty University online September 24, 2012 Compare and Contrast The Matrix with the readings from Plato and Descartes. What are some similarities and differences? After reading The Matrix, and reading from Plato and Descartes, I find that there are some similarities and differencesRead MoreAngelabrafford-Phil Essay830 Words   |  4 Pages Great philosophers such as Plato, Socrates and Descartes developed theories thousands of years ago which changed the thought processes of many. These theories today are still influencing the lives of others. The Matrix, a very well-known movie released in 1999, retelling Plato’s theory, questioned the existence of reality and /or what we perceive as reality. The Matrix, Plato’s ‘Allegory of the Cave’ and Descartes ‘Meditation I’, all have similar views on reality, illusionRead MoreThe Matrix Is Highly Action Packed1220 Words   |  5 PagesWhen the film The Matrix debuted in 1999, it was an instant box office success that captivated many viewers. However throughout the featured famed actors, costumes, special effects and fight scene s, many viewers failed to notice the philosophical issues. Plato and Descartes, just like the characters in the movie are faced and driven to extreme measures to understand the world around them. They are compelled to seek knowledge in understanding what is real, evaluating the mind-body problem, and are

Irish Immigrants in Boston Essay - 2765 Words

Irish Immigrants in Boston The life of Irish immigrants in Boston was one of poverty and discrimination. The religiously centered culture of the Irish has along with their importance on family has allowed the Irish to prosper and persevere through times of injustice. Bostons Irish immigrant population amounted to a tenth of its population. Many after arriving could not find suitable jobs and ended up living where earlier generations had resided. This attributed to the invisibility of the Irish. Much of the very early migration had been heavily male, but during the famine years, migration was largely a family affair. Families were arriving serially in ?chain? migration while others suffered high mortality rates in these years.†¦show more content†¦One leading Irish-American politician, John Mitchel, wrote in his newspaper, The Citizen in 1856: He would be a bad Irishman who voted for principles which jeopardized the present freedom of a nation of white men, for the vague forlorn hope of elevating blacks to a level for which it is at least problematical whether God and nature ever intended them. So the Irish tended to be in favor of slavery and against abolition. This was just another reason why many of the people around them did not get along with them, this in turn probably making their lives harder and less enjoyable. However, at the outbreak of the Civil War an estimated 170,000 men born in Ireland joined the Union Army, but only about 40,000 were in the Confederate Army. This occurred because the issue for the Irish was not so much slavery as it was preserving the Union. The church in Boston agreed with Archbishop Hughes that ?It is one country and shall be one?. After the Civil War, attitudes toward the Irish shifted slightly, and the Irish Need Not Apply signs on businesses, that had been so common decades before, began to disappear. The Irish had heavily participated in the war: thirty nine Union regiments contained a majority of Irishmen, and the 69th regiment was comprised almost totally of Irishmen. The Irish Americans gained some respect for their involvement in the Civil War and were now more accepted by American society. The Irish Americans in the post-Civil War time period wereShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Plight of Immigrants to Boston894 Words   |  4 PagesThe Plight of Immigrants to Boston Since its conception in the early 1600s, Boston, the so-called City on a Hill, has opened its doors to all people of all ethnic and religious background. At times there were many who fought to prevent the immigrants, while other people, at the same time, helped those who made it to the Americas, more specifically, Boston to make a new life for themselves. The immigrants from Ireland were not unfamiliar with this trend in American history. More often thanRead MoreUrbanization Of The United States1246 Words   |  5 Pagesliving and working in central areas. In Boston, the government sets up a freedom trail that reflects the history of the United States. However, there is also a latest freedom trail that is constructed by my own, which shows how urbanization in Boston was going step by step. The core factors indicated by this new freedom trail are trade, immigration, education and manufacturing. Long Wharf is the first stop. It was constructed around 1710 in downtown Boston. Why does Long Wharf play a determinedRead MoreBoston’s Immigrants: A Study in Acculturation Essay1120 Words   |  5 PagesBoston’s Immigrants: A Study in Acculturation Problem: Boston, with the makeup of a promising city, was struggling significantly toward the end of the 18th century and at the beginning of the 19th century. What factors helped alleviate Boston from the middle of the rankings for American cities and guided it to become a model city for other Americans to view? With the mass arrival of people from Europe, why did people of Irish decent seem to be the frontrunners for work in the Boston area?Read MoreIrish Americans Essay1478 Words   |  6 PagesIrish- American Immigrants Americas bounty -- the abundance of the fields, the beauty of the landscape, the richness of our opportunities -- has always attracted people who are in search of a better life for themselves and their children. Our democracy owes its success in great part to the countless immigrants who have made their way to our shores and to the tremendous diversity this Nation has been blessed with since its beginnings. In March, when communities all across the country celebrateRead MoreThe Age Of The Civil War1592 Words   |  7 Pagesfaced during the Civil War era. The Draft Riots across New York and other surrounding areas connected in a certain way. The most notorious riots occurred in New York City for a grueling four days and had up to 120 deaths. Buffalo and Troy New York; Boston, Massachusetts, also boroughs of New York City faced an enormous catastrophe all caused by the American people. There were numerous ingrained issues on why the riots occurred. The riots had a large impact on New York and Massachusetts along with theRead MoreIrish in America Essay1344 Words   |  6 PagesIrish in America America is a melting pot of different cultures, religions, ideas and identities, a country which over the years has been molded, shaped and changed by its people. There are many historical factors that gone into creating the country as we know it today, but none so influential as the immigration of millions to â€Å"the land of opportunity†. The millions of people who came to the United States in hopes of finding a better life greatly affected the course of American historyRead MoreHisteassy1 Essay806 Words   |  4 PagesDescribe  how  the  city  of  Boston  and  the  people  living  there  changed   between  1850  and  1900.      Lisa  A  Burns         The  history  of  Boston  is  one  of  many  changes  and  growth  since  its  Ã‚  renaming  in   1630.  Ã‚  Going  from  a  small  British  settlement  initially  limited  to  the  Shawmut  Peninsula   to  a  busy  merchant  seaport  in  1850  to  the  industrial  metropolis  by  the  1900’s.  Ã‚  The   changes  can  be  seen  in  three  main  areas  Ã‚  sizes,  population,  and  ethnic  composition.  Ã‚  Ã‚  The   city  more  than  Ã‚  tripled  its  sizes  by  filling  in  marshesRead MoreThe Journey From The Docks Of Liverpool905 Words   |  4 PagesEngland to board on the ships. 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The Boston Police Strike, unfortunately, brought so many issues of the day to head: Communism which was an issue to AmericansRead MoreIreland in America Essay956 Words   |  4 PagesStates has always been known as The Land of Immigrants. People from all parts of the globe have traveled to America, to be free from oppression, disease, and hunger, or simply to start a new life. Many different people of different culture, race, and religion have made their mark and helped to shape the American culture. One of the most influential immigration movements in American History is the Irish Immigration. During the 18th century the Irish slowly began their migration to America. Centuries

Mass Media and National Identity Free Essays

Gone are the days when the media used to exercise its power mainly through the radio and the newspapers. During that period, there was always time for free reflection on what it means to be an American. Today, the media merely thrusts its views on the viewer in a very powerful way. We will write a custom essay sample on Mass Media and National Identity or any similar topic only for you Order Now People are being exposed to a hugely expanded power of the media through the incessant television programs, movies and the internet. Like an invader who captures the minds of the weak, the American media is now in a position from where it can brainwash people into developing a media customized American identity. One of the more dominant images being circulated right now by American media is that to be American is to agree with the American President. All those who disagree are anti-American. Ever since the war on terrorism was launched during the aftermath of September 11, 2001, political leaders have used the media to seed the hearts and minds of Americans towards a new kind of patriotism. The Bush administration has, with the help of the media, widely propagated that this is the time when America needs to come together and support the President. The message is that unity and support for the President is more vital than having a healthy debate. This communication strategy has garnered a great deal of success in the United States as anti-war and anti-Bush policies have become equated with anti-Americanism. National identity of America was earlier derived from powerful figures of colonial America who imparted their daring visions, power, and energetic optimism to the American tradition. Among them are the explorer and colonial founder John Smith; the religious liberty advocate, Quaker, and colonial founder William Penn; the great Puritan intellectual Cotton Mather; and the astonishing 18th-century polymath Benjamin Franklin. Americans of the early 19th century were involved in the great controversy of whether slavery should be abolished or not. They were not afraid to fight wars for their causes and they also ensured that the republic achieved astonishing economic growth. Writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Louisa May Alcott helped in the development of a mature distinctive American literary and philosophical culture. There were great leaders like Franklin Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln who turned America into a great prosperous nation of sustained economic growth and they enabled the republic to stretch from ocean to ocean. America flowered as a land of great diversity with the advent of immigration in the mid-20th century. This was the time America grew to be a global leader and American character was exemplified through distinct American traits found in its great citizens. Some such distinct American traits that became part of American identity were lack of fatalism, energetic approach to problem-solving, faith in economic growth, dedication to education, devotion to religious liberty and belief in equality. There were many individuals who embodied these American traits. Louisa May Alcott was a volunteer nurse in a Civil War hospital, where she contracted typhoid fever and was crippled for life from the mercury used to treat her. But that did not deter her from writing Little Women, a book that was hugely successful. Benjamin Franklin was the epitome of self confidence as he invented the Franklin stove to meet the firewood shortage in Philadelphia. Andrew Carnegie was a great industrialist who finally thought it best to focus on a single industry: the steel industry. Horace Mann was responsible for the creation of the universal compulsory school model. The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which Thomas Jefferson drafted in 1786 was the foundation stone for the rise of America as a nation that valued freedom in all aspects of life.   Every American shares a national identity with his fellow citizens and he is proud to known that values such as optimism, self reliance and belief in equality and justice are all part of this great American identity which has been shaped by a long history of political openness and change, tolerance of conflict, entrepreneurial energy, and cultural mix. The nobility that is enshrined in American national identity is slowing being eroded in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, race relations, crime, immigration, health care, euthanasia, gun control, and education and the erosion is more intense due to the focus of the media on such issues. Media expert David Domke feels has studied the government’s post-September 11 communication strategies in the war on terrorism as well as the media response and the impact on U.S. public opinion. After studying media reports and public responses from the period from September 11, 2001, to Bush’s address to the nation about Iraq on March 17, 2003, he concluded that â€Å"government officials have consistently emphasized American core values and themes of U.S. strength and unity while simultaneously demonizing the enemy† (Whitworth Communications, 2003). His conclusion is supported by a study of media coverage and public-opinion polls. Words such as freedom, individualism, mobility, and pragmatism â€Å"speak to the American spirit.† It is through the use of such words that mass media is shaping the national identity on political issues. There are people such as think-tank researchers, interest-group leaders and academic experts who can offer analysis from a neutral platform. They are not people who are likely to sing chorus to the government’s song. But Domke and his colleagues have found that such intellectual people tend to get less media attention – for the simple reason they are not guaranteed supporters of the government. This finding shows that the media coverage under the blanket of patriotic press coverage, has served to shift the American national identity from one that allows every individual the liberty to have his or her own opinion on political issues to one that supports the standing of a unified nation behind the President of the United States, no matter what decisions he takes. Apart from this negative shift, there are many positive ways in which mass media is helping to shape the national identity of Americans. Hollywood is one of the most influential media in America and has always played a huge role in creating a sense of national identity and pride. American values such as equality, liberty, love for the nation, freedom of expression, human right are emphasized in many movies. Popular movies such as Pearl Harbor; We Were Soldiers; The Quiet American; Behind Enemy Lines; Black Hawk Down; Kandahar; Collateral Damage; In the Bedroom; Minority Report and Fahrenheit 9/11 explore and help in shaping American identity with respect to morality, family, nation and globalisation. Television programs such as Apprentice and American Idol showcase the potential America offers to people with values, talent, skill and willingness to work. They add a sense of pride and positive attitude to the national identity. Sports such as baseball and basketball as shown in the movies and television programs have become American symbols of competitiveness and professionalism. However, television advertisements seem to focus more on hawking a happier home and love-life, improved eating and drinking and appearance, better health, taste and smell, a more comfortable car, etc., etc. thereby polluting the national identity with a craving for materialism and self centeredness. Through the mass media, Mickey Mouse, Babe Ruth, screwball comedy, G.I. Joe, the blues, â€Å"The Simpsons,† Michael Jackson, the Dallas Cowboys, Gone With the Wind, the Dream Team, Indiana Jones, Catch-22 – these names, genres, and phrases from American sports and entertainment have become a powerful tools in sculpting the American identity. Through mass media, music has also played a huge role in shaping American identity. The first major composer of popular music with a uniquely American style was Stephen Foster (1826-1864). Soon the music that was representative of America combined elements of European musical tradition with African-American rhythms and themes. Some of Foster’s best songs are: â€Å"Oh! Susanna,† â€Å"Camptown Races,† â€Å"Ring the Banjo,† â€Å"Old Folks at Home†. Today, the inclusion of African music such as Reggai and rap, Latino rhythms, and the domination of global artists has made American music much more representative of its expanding scope of national identity. However, rock music remains the prevalent pop music of America because it is one genre that can assimilate almost any other kind of music, along with new varieties of outlandish showmanship, into its strong rhythmical framework – much as America assimilates different cultures and different races into its constitutional framework and national identity. Rangers in the Sequoia National Park report that the huge sequoia monarch trees in the forests, however huge and seemingly strong, one day simply tilt over and crash to the ground because of their weak roots (Sites, 2007). So also the American national identity built through mass media can crash if care is not taken to nourish the roots of that identity. Mass media should focus on the unique American history and resplendent traditions instead of favoring an almost total obsession with the clamorous present and the dubious lures of the unpredictable future. Bibliography: Whitworth Communications (2003). Political Communication Scholar to Present Whitworth Lecture on Challenges to Civil Discourse of ‘Post-9/11 Patriotism’. http://www.whitworth.edu/News/2002_2003/Spring/GreatDecisionsDomke.htm Sites N. James. Inger: A Modern-Day Viking Discovers America. Published by Scan-Am Communications. Ashland. http://www.identityindependence.com/ingersites.html How to cite Mass Media and National Identity, Essay examples