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