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A review of The Matrix and Philosophy

by William Irwin

A collection of philosophy essays illustrated by the themes in the hit action movie The Matrix

Reviewed by: Guy Brandon
About Guy Brandon

The Matrix and Philosophy The Matrix (1999, written and directed by the Wachowski brothers) is one of the most successful movies ever made. It is a great action film in its own right, famed for its special effects and spectacular sequences of choreographed kung fu fighting. In addition, it is an intellectual movie underpinned with a multiplicity of religious and philosophical beliefs. It is these motifs and the related material they lead into that the contributors of The Matrix and Philosophy have written essays about.

One of the philosophers examined in a little more detail is Descartes, who questioned the reality of the world we see and experience. This topic is obviously very well illustrated by the underlying premise of the film, in which humanity is duped into believing they are living normal lives by the intelligent computer system that covers the earth. Much of the Christian imagery in the film (in which Keanu Reeves plays a messiah-like figure) will not have gone unnoticed either. What is less appreciated is that The Matrix is also a retelling of the story of Socrates, who carried out his search for higher truth against fierce opposition and eventually paid for it with his life. Plato relates his story in a parable in which a group of people are imprisoned in a cave. Shackled from birth and with only dim firelight to see by, they are unaware of any other life and do not realise they are in prison at all. When one is eventually taken outside to see the world as it really is, the others do not believe him. Irwin takes this up in the first chapter, explaining the parallels with the film and introducing its relevance to contemporary philosophy.

The Wachowski brothers have provided many different opportunities for philosophical analysis, and this book includes essays from a number of perspectives: Truth, Morality, Buddhism, Ethics, Postmodernism, Metaphysics and much more. Irwin's intention is to present philosophy in terms of popular culture (he has previously edited "Seinfeld and Philosophy: A Book about Everything and Nothing" and "The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh of Homer"), and by and large he is successful. The chapters are short (10-15 pages) and self-contained, and generally require little prior knowledge. The contributing authors do not necessarily draw out the directors' intentions, but use their material as a starting point for discussion. This is not a comprehensive grounding in the basics of philosophy, but an interesting taster course illustrated by a very popular movie.

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Copyright © by Guy Brandon, 2003

Reviewed by Guy Brandon:
-- Koba the Dread - by Martin Amis
-- The Eagle's Shadow - by Mark Hertsgaard
-- Human Instinct - How our primeval impulses shape our modern lives - by Robert Winston
-- Hannibal - by Thomas Harris
-- Ender's Game - by Orson Scott Card
-- A Clockwork Orange - by Anthony Burgess
-- 2001: A Space Odyssey - by Arthur C. Clarke
-- Color: Stories from the Paintbox - by Victoria Finlay
-- Arcadia - by Tom Stoppard
-- Angry White Pyjamas - by Robert Twigger
-- Lord of the Rings - by J. R. R. Tolkien
-- The Matrix and Philosophy - by William Irwin









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