| The Matrix Revisited
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| | Matrix might have it). The other
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|
| |
| | (reality) is governed by it.
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| Author of "Malignant Self Love -
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| | Under the spell of the Matrix, people
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| Narcissism Revisited"
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| | feel as though time goes by.
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| It is easy to confuse the concepts of
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| | They have functioning watches. The sun
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| "virtual reality" anda "computerized
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| | rises and sets. Seasonschange. They grow
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| model of reality (simulation)". The
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| | old and die. This is not entirely an
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| former is a self- contained Universe,
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| | illusion.
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| replete with its "laws of physics" and
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| | Their bodies do decay and die, as ours
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| "logic".
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| | do. They are not exempt fromthe laws of
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| It can bear resemblance to the real world
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| | nature. But their AWARENESS of time is
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| or not. It can beconsistent or not. It
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| | computergenerated. The Matrix is
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| can interact with the real world or not.
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| | sufficiently sophisticated
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| Inshort, it is an arbitrary environment.
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| | andknowledgeable to maintain a close
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| In contrast, a model ofreality must have
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| | correlation between the physicalstate of
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| a direct and strong relationship to the
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| | the human (his health and age) and his
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| world. Itmust obey the rules of physics
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| | consciousness of thepassage of time. The
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| and of logic. The absence of such
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| | basic rules of time - for instance,
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| arelationship renders it meaningless. A
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| | itsasymmetry - are part of the program.
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| flight simulator is not muchgood in a
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| | But this is precisely it. Time in the
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| world without airplanes or if it ignores
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| | minds of these people
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| the laws ofnature. A technical analysis
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| | isprogram-generated, not reality-induced.
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| program is useless without a
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| | It is not the derivative ofchange and
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| stockexchange or if its mathematically
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| | irreversible (thermodynamic and other)
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| erroneous.
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| | processes OUT
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| Yet, the two concepts are often confused
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| | THERE. Their minds are part of a computer
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| because they are bothmediated by and
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| | program and the computerprogram is a part
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| reside on computers. The computer is a
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| | of their minds. Their bodies are
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| self- contained (though not closed)
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| | static,degenerating in their protective
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| Universe. It incorporates thehardware,
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| | nests. Nothing happens to themexcept in
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| the data and the instructions for the
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| | their minds. They have no physical effect
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| manipulation of thedata (software). It
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| | on the world.
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| is, therefore, by definition, a virtual
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| | They effect no change. These things set
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| reality.
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| | the Matrix and reality apart.
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| It is versatile and can correlate its
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| | To "qualify" as reality a two-way
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| reality with the worldoutside. But it can
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| | interaction must occur. One flowof data
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| also refrain from doing so. This is
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| | is when reality influences the minds of
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| theominous "what if" in artificial
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| | people (as does the
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| intelligence (AI). What if acomputer were
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| | Matrix). The obverse, but equally
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| to refuse to correlate its internal
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| | necessary, type of data flow iswhen
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| (virtual) realitywith the reality of its
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| | people know reality and influence it. The
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| makers? What if it were to impose its
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| | Matrix triggers atime sensation in people
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| ownreality on us and make it the
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| | the same way that the Universe triggers
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| privileged one?
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| | atime sensation in us. Something does
|
| In the visually tantalizing movie, "The
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| | happen OUT THERE and it iscalled the
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| Matrix", a breed of AIcomputers takes
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| | Matrix. In this sense, the Matrix is
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| over the world. It harvests human embryos
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| | real, it is thereality of these humans.
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| inlaboratories called "fields". It then
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| | It maintains the requirement of the
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| feeds them through grimlooking tubes and
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| | firsttype of flow of data. But it fails
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| keeps them immersed in gelatinous liquid
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| | the second test: people do notknow that
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| incocoons. This new "machine species"
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| | it exists or any of its attributes, nor
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| derives its energy needs fromthe
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| | do they affect itirreversibly. They do
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| electricity produced by the billions of
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| | not change the Matrix. Paradoxically,
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| human bodies thuspreserved. A
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| | therebels do affect the Matrix (they
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| sophisticated, all-pervasive, computer
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| | almost destroy it). In doing so,they make
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| programcalled "The Matrix" generates a
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| | it REAL. It is their REALITY because they
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| "world" inhabited by theconsciousness of
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| | KNOW it and theyirreversibly CHANGE it.
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| the unfortunate human batteries.
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| | Applying this dual-track test, "virtual"
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| Ensconced in theirshells, they see
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| | reality IS a reality,albeit, at this
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| themselves walking, talking, working and
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| | stage, of a deterministic type. It
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| makinglove. This is a tangible and
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| | affects ourminds, we know that it exists
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| olfactory phantasm masterfully createdby
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| | and we affect it in return. Ourchoices
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| the Matrix. Its computing power is mind
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| | and actions irreversibly alter the state
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| boggling. It generatesthe minutest
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| | of the system. Thisaltered state, in
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| details and reams of data in a
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| | turn, affects our minds. This interaction
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| spectacularly successfuleffort to
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| | IS whatwe call "reality". With the advent
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| maintain the illusion.
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| | of stochastic and quantum virtualreality
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| A group of human miscreants succeeds to
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| | generators - the distinction between
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| learn the secret of the
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| | "real" and "virtual"will fade. The Matrix
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| Matrix. They form an underground and live
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| | thus is not impossible. But that it
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| aboard a ship, looselycommunicating with
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| | ispossible - does not make it real.
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| a halcyon city called "Zion", the last
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| | Appendix - God and Gödel
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| bastion ofresistance. In one of the
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| | The second movie in the Matrix series -
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| scenes, Cypher, one of the rebels
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| | "The Matrix Reloaded" -culminates in an
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| defects.
| |
| | encounter between Neo ("The One") and the
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| Over a glass of (illusory) rubicund wine
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| | architectof the Matrix (a thinly
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| and (spectral) juicy steak,he poses the
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| | disguised God, white beard and all).
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| main dilemma of the movie. Is it better
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| | Thearchitect informs Neo that he is the
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| to live happilyin a perfectly detailed
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| | sixth reincarnation of The Oneand that
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| delusion - or to survive unhappily but
| |
| | Zion, a shelter for those decoupled from
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| freeof its hold?
| |
| | the Matrix, hasbeen destroyed before and
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| The Matrix controls the minds of all the
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| | is about to be demolished again.
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| humans in the world. It isa bridge
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| | The architect goes on to reveal that his
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| between them, they inter-connected
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| | attempts to render the
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| through it. It makesthem share the same
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| | Matrix "harmonious" (perfect) failed. He
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| sights, smells and textures. They
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| | was, thus, forced tointroduce an element
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| remember. Theycompete. They make
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| | of intuition into the equations to
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| decisions. The Matrix is sufficiently
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| | reflect theunpredictability and
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| complex toallow for this apparent lack of
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| | "grotesqueries" of human nature. This
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| determinism and ubiquity of freewill. The
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| | in-builterror tends to accumulate over
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| root question is: is there any difference
| |
| | time and to threaten the veryexistence of
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| between makingdecisions and feeling
| |
| | the Matrix - hence the need to obliterate
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| certain of making them (not having made
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| | Zion, theseat of malcontents and rebels,
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| them)?
| |
| | periodically.
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| If one is unaware of the existence of the
| |
| | God appears to be unaware of the work of
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| Matrix, the answer is no.
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| | an important, thougheccentric,
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| >From the inside, as a part of the
| |
| | Czech-Austrian mathematical logician,
|
| Matrix, making decisions andappearing to
| |
| | Kurt Gödel (1906- 1978). A passing
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| be making them are identical states. Only
| |
| | acquaintance with his two theorems would
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| an outsideobserver - one who in
| |
| | have savedthe architect a lot of time.
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| possession of full information regarding
| |
| | Gödel's First Incompleteness Theorem
|
| boththe Matrix and the humans - can tell
| |
| | states that every consistentaxiomatic
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| the difference.
| |
| | logical system, sufficient to express
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| Moreover, if the Matrix were a computer
| |
| | arithmetic, containstrue but unprovable
|
| program of infinitecomplexity, no
| |
| | ("not decidable") sentences. In certain
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| observer (finite or infinite) would have
| |
| | cases
|
| been able tosay with any certainty whose
| |
| | (when the system is omega-consistent),
|
| a decision was - the Matrix's or
| |
| | both said sentences and theirnegation are
|
| thehuman's. And because the Matrix, for
| |
| | unprovable. The system is consistent and
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| all intents and purposes, isinfinite
| |
| | true - butnot "complete" because not all
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| compared to the mind of any single,
| |
| | its sentences can be decided as trueor
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| tube-nourished,individual - it is safe to
| |
| | false by either being proved or by being
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| say that the states of "making adecision"
| |
| | refuted.
|
| and "appearing to be making a decision"
| |
| | The Second Incompleteness Theorem is even
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| are subjectivelyindistinguishable. No
| |
| | more earth-shattering. Itsays that no
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| individual within the Matrix would be
| |
| | consistent formal logical system can
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| able totell the difference. His or her
| |
| | prove its ownconsistency. The system may
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| life would seem to him or her asreal as
| |
| | be complete - but then we are unable
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| ours are to us. The Matrix may be
| |
| | toshow, using its axioms and inference
|
| deterministic - but thisdeterminism is
| |
| | laws, that it is consistent
|
| inaccessible to individual minds because
| |
| | In other words, a computational system,
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| of thecomplexity involved. When faced
| |
| | like the Matrix, can eitherbe complete
|
| with a trillion deterministic paths,one
| |
| | and inconsistent - or consistent and
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| would be justified to feel that he
| |
| | incomplete. Bytrying to construct a
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| exercised free, unconstrainedwill in
| |
| | system both complete and consistent, God
|
| choosing one of them. Free will and
| |
| | hasrun afoul of Gödel's theorem and made
|
| determinism areindistinguishable at a
| |
| | possible the thirdsequel, "Matrix
|
| certain level of complexity.
| |
| | Revolutions".
|
| Yet, we KNOW that the Matrix is different
| |
| | ========================================
|
| to our world. It is NOTthe same. This is
| |
| | =====================
|
| an intuitive kind of knowledge, for sure,
| |
| | AUTHOR BIO (must be included with the
|
| but thisdoes not detract from its
| |
| | article)
|
| firmness. If there is no
| |
| | Sam Vaknin ( ) is the author of
|
| subjectivedifference between the Matrix
| |
| | Malignant
|
| and our Universe, there must be
| |
| | Self Love - Narcissism Revisited and
|
| anobjective one. Another key sentence is
| |
| | After the Rain - How the West
|
| uttered by Morpheus, theleader of the
| |
| | Lost the East. He served as a columnist
|
| rebels. He says to "The Chosen One" (the
| |
| | for Central Europe Review,
|
| Messiah) thatit is really the year 2199,
| |
| | PopMatters, Bellaonline, and eBookWeb, a
|
| though the Matrix gives the
| |
| | United Press International
|
| impressionthat it is 1999.
| |
| | (UPI) Senior Business Correspondent, and
|
| This is where the Matrix and reality
| |
| | the editor of mental healthand Central
|
| diverge. Though a human whowould
| |
| | East Europe categories in The Open
|
| experience both would find them
| |
| | Directory and
|
| indistinguishable -objectively they are
| |
| | Suite101.
|
| different. In one of them (the Matrix),
| |
| | Until recently, he served as the Economic
|
| peoplehave no objective TIME (though the
| |
| | Advisor to the Governmentof Macedonia.
|
