Matrix scene from a philosophical PoV

Scene: Keanu Reeves becomes aware of what the world is in reality: aliens harvesting humans

This scene from The Matrix is a good example of the theory of the brain in a vat. In this theory everyone in the world is actually just a collection of brains controlled by evil scientists. All of our sensory observations are made possible by electrical impulses sent to our nerve endings by the scientists. This theory appears like it could be true since we have no way of ever knowing if it is false. However, if as humans we can still communicate and enjoy life as we have all our life, then this theory doesn't really matter if it's correct or not. All of reality exists in our minds and what we perceive through our senses. If we don't know what it's like to be a brain in a vat, then why does it matter that we may actually all be brains in isolation controlled by evil scientists?

Reflection on class Descartes v Hume 2

In class today the idea, favoring Descartes, that it is possible for innate ideas to exist. Suppose a baby learns that crying brings him food. Only by psychological association of ideas and operant conditioning does the baby know that crying is a cause for his or her parent to bring food. The fact that the baby doesn't have to learn this but instead knows it inherently means this idea is an innate idea thus proving Descartes' theory of innate ideas. However, in opposition to the theory of innate ideas, supporters of Hume said that this theory must be false because it can be based on no sensory experience or impression. This attack on innate ideas also brings down much of the proof of the existence of God as Descartes says that for us to have an idea of God we must have an innate idea of him.
Also in class today it seemed like the overall consensus of the defenders of Descartes was that although Hume my be correct in his attack and destruction of Cartesian philosophy, the ideas and rules that Hume leaves us with are no way to live by. Hume leaves us with the idea that we can truly know nothing as well as the fact that there can be no certainty in the supposed connections between causes and effects. As stated before, though this may be true, the world we live in today mostly abides by the laws of Descartes (trusting causes and their effects, for example) rather than Hume's ideas that we know very little truths in life.

Reflection on class Descartes v Hume

Today in philosophy class we discussed the differences between Descartes' and Hume's point of view on causality and induction versus deduction. Hume is identified with induction, or the idea that we use our experiences to form our beliefs of things we have not yet observed. This is different from Descartes view of deduction, or the idea that we use reasoning and logic to make inferences about things we don't know. Hume's view on induction makes sense because it has to do with sensory impressions that are previously experienced. For example, If I buy a bag of Skittles and I eat one I observe the fact that it was red and sugary (sensory impressions). I can then be led to believe, with no certainty, that through resemblance the next red Skittle I take out of the bag will also taste sugary. To this example Descartes would say that through logic we can look at the bag of Skittles and deduce that the Skittles themselves will be sugary based on the fact that sugar is a main ingredient inside the Skittles. On the idea of causality Hume asserts that a cause and effect have no real way to be proven connected with each other apart from the idea that the two sensory observations immediately followed each other, were contiguous (touching), and that we have seen the same impression before. Descartes view on causality is that the movement of things in our universe is based entirely on logic and reasoning or physics.

Descartes on Thought - response to thought experiment 2

Descartes theory of reality is based on dualism. His theory of Metaphysical dualism suggests that reality exists in two forms: physical and mental. Previous thought experiments that were done attempt to separate mind and body to support Descartes theory. Although not all of them that I've have done completely separate mind and body, they do establish a difference between the physical and mental world at least enough to support that the mental world exists. While meditating I noticed a difference between these two 'worlds' when I could block out most of my senses (physical world) and focus only on my thoughts (mental world). Also, Descartes proves his theory of reality true though basing his ideas on thought. For example, Descartes makes his proof of the existence of God by using his principle: I think therefore I am. Because his thoughts are completely separate and unrelated to the senses his entire philosophy stems from the mental world which Descartes knows is true. Also supported in previous thought experiments is the idea that truth comes from thought. In the thought experiments, the senses have consistently been unreliably while thought and mental activity has stayed the same.

Thought Experiment 2 - Meditation

Find a spot to sit down. Put on a blindfold and earplugs. Sit for 20 minutes.

In this thought experiment both sight and and sound senses were removed. When I first covered my eyes and put on earplugs I was still focusing on what I was hearing. I could here the highway and birds chirping. However, after a few minutes my sense of sound seemed to blend together and the birds and the cars no longer were separate from each other. I also noticed that as this was happening to my sense of sound, I was paying more attention to my thoughts. I began to think about simple things at first but what was strange was that after a little bit of simple thoughts, I subconsciously transitioned to more complex dream like thoughts. It almost felt like I was dreaming but awake at the same time. At this point my sense of sound was very unnoticeable. By the end of the 20 minutes when I opened my eyes I felt sleepy and tired. It took me a few minutes to adjust to the light. The fact that my sense of sound was unnoticeable by the end of the 20 minutes supports Descartes view that the senses are deceptive and unable to be trusted.

Thought Experiment 1 - The Void

Experiment procedure: Lay on your back in a quiet spot and try to block out all of your senses

In this experiment even though I was lying down on my back in a quiet space it was hard, if not impossible, to block out or ignore all of my senses. I noticed that it was possible to pay less attention to certain senses such as smell. However, this was only possible when my attention was diverted from one sense and focused on another. For example, I found it easy to not think about my sense of smell but in doing so I was more sensitive to the grass I was laying on (touch). Because I couldn't ignore my senses entirely, this experiment seems to support the philosopher Hume as he said there is only one form of reality that becomes apparent through your senses. This exercise also denies Descartes theory of metaphysical dualism between mental and physical reality. According to Descartes the physical and mental parts of reality are completely separate. Although, based on this experiment that can't be true because for me is was impossible to reach the state where all I was thinking about were my thoughts.

After about three or four minutes the grass that I was laying on seemed make me feel less itchy than it did at the beginning of the experiment. This is strange because I hadn't moved at all. It appears as though I got used to the sense of touch which would mean that my senses changed. Descartes' attack on the senses is that they are unreliably because they change. This part of the exercise would support Descartes' attack on the senses because my sense of touch was altered and was therefore unreliable.

Time - Pink Floyd 5 times in a row

Listening to the same song 5 times is a row
Time by Pink Floyd

After listening to Time by Pink Floyd 5 times in a row a few interesting things happened. First off, on about the second play through I noticed that I knew the lyrics to the song without having to consciously think about them. I also found that the song seemed to go by quicker after I had heard it a few times before. This might be because I was paying less attention to the song the more I heard it. This is ironic because the song that I listened to, "Time", is about losing track of time throughout life. The song also describes the fact that time is a constant although at times (such as in this exercise) it seems that it is warped or inconsistent.
In addition to the song itself, the transitions inside the song seemed less abrupt, smoother and quicker. In other words I was anticipating the changes from verse to chorus to solo and so forth. By the end of the fifth time through I felt extremely sick of the song and unfortunately now I have no interest in listening to it any more.