Plato‚ Descartes‚ and The Matrix Kyra Eigenberger Liberty University Deception is the foundational issue prevalent in The Matrix‚ Plato’s allegory of the cave‚ and Rene Descartes meditations. In each of these excerpts the goal of answering the question of what is real and how to uncover the truth is essential. Another question that arises throughout all three excerpts is whether or not the individuals will be able to handle the truth when it is finally learnt. In The Matrix Morpheus reveals
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Rene Descartes was a highly influential French philosopher‚ mathematician‚ scientist and writer. Many elements of his philosophy have precedent in late Aristolelianism and earlier philosophers like St. Augustine. Descartes was a major figure in 17th century continental rationalism‚ later advocated by Baruch Spinoza and opposed by the empiricist school of thought consisting of Locke‚ Berkeley‚ and Hume. His most famous statement is: Cogito ergo sum‚ translation in English I think therefore I am.
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In his first meditation‚ Descartes embarks on a journey to ensure that all his beliefs are true. He deems that he must rid himself of all false knowledge in order to obtain any true knowledge. Descartes decides to doubt everything he has previously held to be true. He will rely on his reasoning ability to rebuild his own knowledge‚ beginning with things of which he is completely certain. He states‚ “But reason now persuades me that I should withhold my assent no less carefully from opinions that
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13th‚ 2012 An Analysis of Descartes’ First Meditation In Descartes’ First Meditation‚ Descartes’ overall intention is to present the idea that our perceptions and sensations are flawed and should not be trusted entirely. His purpose is to create the greatest possible doubt of our senses. To convey this thought‚ Descartes has three main arguments in the First Meditation: The dream argument‚ the deceiving God argument‚ and the evil demon “or evil genius”. Descartes’ dream argument argues that
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The main theme of A Prayer for Owen Meany is religious faith -- specifically‚ the relationship between faith and doubt in a world in which there is no obvious evidence for the existence of God. John writes on the first page of the book that Owen Meany is the reason that he is a Christian‚ and ensuing story is presented as an explanation of the reason why. Though the plot of the novel is quite complicated‚ the explanation for Owen’s effect on Johnny’s faith is extremely simple; Owen’s life is a
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Is your mind the ultimate guide to happiness and truth‚ or is experiencing things for yourself the only way to find the true meaning of life? Or is living in a cave confined of your own ignorance your ideal way to live a happy life? In Descartes
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Donatello Versace 4 September 2014 Period 7‚ AP Lang Ms. Burke The argument between certainty and doubt is highly controversial. Despite the side that people have accustomed themselves to‚ there are still pros and cons to both. A person’s doubt can easily distract them from reaching their full potential‚ while it can also aide in making a more realistic and achievable decision because with doubt they are able to question their abilities and eliminate the options that aren’t as feasible. Whereas
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that humans are not capable of comprehending the idea of infinite‚ therefore we cannot argue that God is infinite or that he exists at all. Finally‚ Descartes claims that by The Method of Doubt‚ God is the one idea that cannot be doubted. Therefore‚ the disputed question in these three arguments is the existence of God and the idea of infinite. Descartes and the first author both seem to dispute the argument made by the
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The logic behind Descartes’ second premise can be explained thus‚ he says a cold object such as a pot of water cannot become hot unless something else causes that heat. But‚ the cause must have a high degree as the effect. For it is impossible for one level of reality (the boiling water) to be produced by a cause that is less than the effect (a cold stove). Just as heated water is an effect that requires a cause‚ so Descartes’ idea of an infinite and perfect being is an
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Does Descartes solve the problem of the Cartesian Circle? Despite Arnauld’s objection being to distinguish “what we are actually perceiving clearly and what we recall having clearly perceived sometime earlier” (Pynn 2011) we will always rely on our clear and distinct views and or perceptions we had‚ have‚ or will have to be true. Agreeing with Descartes is the obvious position I am taking in this argument because the questioning towards his theory is relying on the fact that our current clear
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