The Decision Matrix Analysis Essay
The matrix is based on the philosophy of French philosopher Rene Descartes which states that ‘I think therefore I am’. By that, Descartes means having a good brain and applying it intelligently. According to this philosophy, the senses of humans’ precept incomplete and sometimes wrong information about the surroundings and the reality. The perceptions should be made after judging a matter with your mind and intellect. The real knowledge can only be deducted with the help of brain. But the existence of one’s own self is a knowledge one should be never feel doubtful about.
The movie can be related to this philosophy as it is referred as ‘brain in a vat’ but the whole bodies are in a vat or pods in which they spend their whole lives in the movie. Therefore, in reality there are no computers or robots efficient enough to precept and process matters completely and in a right way sometimes there are things which we see differently and we experience differently and they become reasons of questioning the perception of our senses.
The movie depicts the same philosophy when Morpheus told Neo that the reality he perceived is not a reality, in fact the reality they perceived is controlled by computer and neural interactive stimulation or decision
matrix. It led Neo to get misconception the reality and entrapping into the illusion of perfect world.
The decision matrix is one thought experiment to show the message that everything that we sense and perceive might be an illusion. This is also called skepticism or a matter about which the real and genuine knowledge about the matter is unattainable. According to this philosophy, the matrix also raises questions such as ‘is this a real life or are we experiencing a dream’ and that how will we know that some external force is not manipulating our perceptions and that the reality we are facing is real.
Nonetheless, there are no ways that we can distinguish between dreaming and normal circumstances that we term as reality. Thus the matrix also raises a question that Descartes raised in one of his theory that what if all our life is actually a dream not a reality?
The people in the decision matrix did not perceive the reality as it is. Because there senses had narrow limits to perceive it completely and in its original form. Although a human brain can think of several things according to its channels but it still has its limits. The philosophy of Descartes is valid to some extent. It cannot be denied completely. We don’t precept and understand the reality in a right way. There are no outer forces that deceive us about reality.
It is our own senses that precept the reality incompletely and it is our own brain that process this information in whatever way it wants with its limited knowledge. If we precept things in a right way, reality will be as seen as clear as water.