Philosophers Explore The Matrix

by Grau, Christopher

• ISBN13: 9780195181074
• ISBN10: 0195181077
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-09-01
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The Matrix trilogy is unique among recent popular films in that it is constructed around important philosophical questions--classic questions which have fascinated philosophers and other thinkers for thousands of years. Editor Christopher Grau here presents a collection of new, intriguingessays about some of the powerful and ancient questions broached by The Matrix and its sequels, written by some of the most prominent and reputable philosophers working today. They provide intelligent, accessible, and thought-provoking examinations of the philosophical issues that support the films. Philosophers Explore The Matrix includes an introduction that surveys the use of philosophical ideas in the film. Topics that the contributors tackle include: how a collaborative dream could differ from hallucination, the difference between the Matrix and the "real" world; why living in the Matrixwould be considered "bad"; the similarities between the Matrix and Plato's Cave; the moral status of artificially created beings, whether one can behave immorally in illusory circumstances, and the true nature of free will and responsibility. This volume also includes an appendix of classicphilosophical writing on these issues by Plato, Berkeley, Descartes, Putnam, and Nozick. Philosophers Explore The Matrix will fascinate any fan of the films who wants to delve deeper into their themes, as well as any student of philosophy who desires an accessible entry into this challenging and profoundly vital world of ideas.

Author Biography

Christopher Grau is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Florida International University.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction	3	(7)
Christopher Grau
2 Bad Dreams, Evil Demons, and the Experience Machine: Philosophy and The Matrix	10	(14)
Christopher Grau
3 Morpheus and Berkeley on Reality	24	(16)
Tim Mawson
4 What's So Bad about Living in the Matrix?	40	(22)
James Pryor
5 The Matrix of Dreams	62	(9)
Colin McGinn
6 Existential Phenomenology and the Brave New World of The Matrix	71	(27)
Hubert L. Dreyfus and Stephen D. Dreyfus
7 Reality, What Matters, and The Matrix	98	(17)
Iakovos Vasiliou
8 Never the Twain Shall Meet: Reflections on the Very First Matrix	115	(17)
Richard Hanley
9 The Matrix as Metaphysics	132	(45)
David J. Chalmers
10 The Twisted Matrix: Dream, Simulation, or Hybrid?	177	(21)
Andy Clark
11 The Matrix—Our Future?	198	(10)
Kevin Warwick
12 Artificial Ethics	208	(10)
Julia Driver
13 Neo's Freedom...Whoa!	218	(21)
Michael McKenna
14 Plato's Cave and The Matrix	239	(19)
John Partridge
15 Wake Up! Worlds of Illusion in Gnosticism, Buddhism, and The Matrix Project	258	(31)
Rachel Wagner and Frances Flannery-Dailey
Appendix: Selections from Classic Texts	289	(44)
Plato, The Republic	289	(6)
Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy	295	(12)
Berkeley, Of the Principles of Human Knowledge	307	(3)
Nozick, Anarchy, State, and Utopia	310	(3)
Putnam, Reason, Truth, and History	313	(20)
Contributors	333	(4)
Index	337