Analysis of Movie The Matrix - Essay Example

Morpheus said, “As long as the Matrix exists, the human race will never be free” (The Matrix, 00:45:47 to 00:45:40). He added the truth when Neo asked it. “That you are a slave Neo. Like everyone else you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch, a prison for your mind” (The Matrix, 00:28:21 to 00:28:34). Morpheus is implying that this simply happens in the dream world, the Matrix.

However, one substantial belief of Morpheus is that if one dies in the dream world, one dies also in the real world because the body and the mind cannot function without each other. For Morpheus, the body is integrated into the mind and he simply accepts the thought of this by understanding the potential of the human brain to define what is real. He said, “What is real? How do you define real? If you’re talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste, and see, then real is simply an electrical signal interpreted by your brain” (The Matrix, 00:40:16 to 00:40:29). With these words, it is clear that Morpheus is not only trying to stick to a single idea of what reality is all about. He certainly knows something deeper than that.

In the same way, Descartes is compelled to believe that we have two sources for our idea of material objects (Author 68). The first source is the mathematical idea which includes size, shape, part and location that is capable of telling us objective information about the physical things around us. In one way or another, this does not contradict Morpheus’s belief about what is real as simply an electrical signal interpreted by the human brain.

On the other hand, just as Descartes disproved the existence of evil genius which might be capable of telling us deceptive truth about the mathematical idea (Author 68), he proves that there is God and the mere proof of it is derived from the concept of what is perfect because of his real existence. This is where the second source of our idea originates and it comes from the senses rather than the innate ideas of corporeality and math (Author 68). It is something that one can doubt, but in one way or another, it may also lead someone to conclude that there is an external world and God exists.

As depicted in the movie film the electrical signals interpreted by the brain that is capable of telling us what is real are integral components of the mathematical idea. Even in the dream world, as showcased in the movie film, one is still capable of telling what is real because the physical body is connected to the human mind (The Matrix, 00:40:16 to 00:40:29). However, since Descartes disproved the existence of evil genius who might deceive us about the exactness of the information of the physical things (Author 68), then there is therefore truth about the existence of the physical world and the dream world. This, therefore, supports the idea of Morpheus that if one dies in the dream world, one dies also in the real world that if we based it on the idea of Descartes speaks of reality. Furthermore, the existence of God based on the concept of Descartes brings us forward to a deeper level beyond the external world. However, according to Descartes, there is no evil genius who takes control of the material world, then in one way or another, God is in control of everything. Thus, in whatever dimensions, there is reality, because there is God (Author 69).

The idea of Morpheus simply depicts and unites the thought of Descartes concerning the ultimate sources of our idea of the physical world, the dream world, and how everything is connected with each other. However, one thing that separates the idea of Morpheus about reality from that of Descartes is the absence of the idea of the existence of the evil genius and God.