Comparing Plato, Descartes, And The Matrix

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Plato, Descartes, and The Matrix Essay
Upon reading Plato, Descartes, and the synopsis for the Matrix I do say that their thoughts are very insightful in questioning our so called reality, if there is one, and our actions. When comparing and contrasting The Matrix with the readings from Plato the Allegory of the Cave and Descartes Meditation I of the Things of Which We May Doubt I reason Plato’s writing and the matrix have much more of a reflection of one another than the Matrix and Descartes. Although still some similarities between the two do exists. Because of this I do view more discrepancies between Descartes’s writings and the Matrix.
In comparing the Allegory of the Cave Excerpt from Plato, The Republic, with the matrix I find that there are some fascinating similarities. I find that Plato was trying to motivate the reader to not live an unexamined life. If one does this, it is essentially a waste of one’s life. Much like the matrix, I find that we could say Morpheus is Plato only trying to get others to see the reality of life. Do not just go along with the flow but rather examine your life and see that there is worth in it.
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Similarly, when Descartes decided all that he knew was false he went in search of real truth. As did Neo, disregarding the previous knowledge he formally believed. Now in contrast between the two stories I see that unlike Neo, Descartes decides to disregard his theories of doubt: reason, dreaming and the evil demon. Going back to what he once believed with hope that his doubts are not true. In my interpretation, it would be as if Mr. Anderson saw what was really happing and then chooses to go back to his life hoping that his boring life is the truth not what Morpheus shown

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