Philosophy and Film: T3

What is the Matrix/a matrix?

Morpheus: “The Matrix is everywhere, it's all around us, here even in this room. You can

see it out your window, or on your television. You feel it when you go to work, or go to

church or pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you

from the truth.”

Chalmers: A matrix is “an artificially-designed computer simulation of a world.”

What is a Brain-in-a-Vat?

Chalmers: A brain-in-a-vat (BiV) is just a “disembodied brain...floating in a vat, inside a scientist's laboratory.”

Is Neo a BiV?

Not exactly, but for all intents and purposes, Neo is a BiV at the beginning of the film.

The Matrix Hypothesis

Chalmers: The Matrix Hypothesis is true of S just in case S is “envatted” and has “always been

envatted.”

What is Knowledge?

● S knows that P only if S meets the following three conditions:– S believes that P,– P is true,– S is justified in

believing that P. Cypher: “Ignorance is bliss.”

Is That All There Is To Knowledge?

• Ayer, A. J. (1956). The Problem of Knowledge (London: Macmillan), ch. 1.

• Gettier, E. L. (1963). “Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?” Analysis 23: 121-3.

• Williamson, T. (2000). Knowledge and Its Limits (Oxford: Oxford University Press), Intro., ch. 1.

(How) Does Neo Know He's Not a BiV (Later in the Film)?

● Taylor: “Neo’s main tip-offs that he is (apparently) not in the Matrix any longer are mostly physical.”

● Kim: “...Neo...realizes that he is not still in the Matrix through his appearance, Morpheus and one kid’s explanation...”

● Amy: “Upon re-entry into the Matrix [Neo] is able to manipulate his environment in ways that he was never before capable.”

Another Possibility

Neo doesn't know he's not a BiV!

Does Neo Know Anything?

1) If Neo knows that he's at work, then he knows he's not a BiV.

2) But it's false that Neo knows he's not a BiV.

3) Therefore, it's false that he knows he's at work.

Now, consider what could replace “Neo knows that he's at work.”

Do You Know You're Not a BiV?

What, if anything, is special about Neo's situation as a knower?

What is Real?

Morpheus: “What is real? How do you define 'real'? If you're talking about your senses, what you feel, taste, smell, or see, then all you're talking about are electrical signals interpreted by your brain.”

The Metaphysical Hypothesis

Chalmers: “the computational processes constituting physical space-time are part of a broader domain, and that the creators and my cognitive system are also located within this domain.”

The Matrix as Metaphysics

Chalmers: “Matrix Hypothesis is equivalent to the Metaphysical Hypothesis.”

Philosophy and Film: T3