Topic > The Matrix: People Imprisoned in a Simulation

What if our world was simply a hyper-realistic simulation, with all of us simply characters in an artificial world? To summarize The Matrix, it is a movie where people are kept inside pods and experience a real-life simulation without realizing that it is artificial. Throughout history, philosophers and scientists have often theorized and questioned whether or not we live in a “real” world. There is a lot still unknown in the world, and adding the possibility of a simulation adds fuel to the fire. The reality is that living on Earth already feels like a simulation. People get out of bed, go to work or school, come home, and this process repeats itself every single day throughout their lives. The question that is raised is “How do you know if you are in a simulation or not?” I believe the possibility of a simulation is highly unlikely, as there is insufficient evidence to support such a claim. Opening up to thought, a simulation would lead to a chain of complications and questions: Who made the simulation? Why did they do it? What is happening to our real bodies? The reason why some people tend to believe that a simulation is being thrown at us is because there is not even undeniable proof that we actually live in the real world. However, there is more evidence from philosophers and scientists that leans towards the absence of simulation. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Matrix may be closely related to Plato's allegory of the cave. In his allegory of the cave, Plato describes people being born inside a dark cave chained against a wall and living inside for their entire lives. These people have never experienced daylight and often see only mere shadows of people or animals passing by. Finally, a person was freed from his chains and set foot in the outside world. He couldn't believe his eyes because the objects seemed too good to be true. He was told that the shadows he was accustomed to seeing were false and artificial, while things like sunlight, plants, and animals were real. As time passed, he gradually adapted to the new environment and saw a new light in the sun. The sun could be interpreted as “Nature and knowledge of reality”. It gives the viewer knowledge and shows the truth behind each object with its light. With the new knowledge, the man then returns to the cave to tell his friends about his experience in the outside world. To his surprise, he was not used to the darkness and shadows of the cave. He tried to help free his companions, but they resisted and thought his experiences were ignorant and useless. The Matrix generally has the same concept as Plato's allegory of the cave. The main character Neo was given the opportunity to swallow a red pill and be released from the computer simulation to experience what the real world was like. He then proceeded to swallow the red pill to awaken to the real world. To his surprise, thousands of people were dying inside pods living under a false reality. The man who left the cave and experienced the outside world can be interpreted as Neo. Both left augmented reality to face the truth and what goes beyond what they were used to. They eventually returned to the artificial realities to help free the enslaved people within. It is important to point out that Plato's allegory is connected to his theory of forms written in his other dialogues. It is concluded that "Physical reality is merely a shadow or reflection of the reality of form." Plato.