Book 51 - Glenn Yeffeth (ed.) "Taking The Red Pill"

[jazzy_dave]

Glenn Yeffeth (ed.) "Taking The Red Pill, Science, Philosophy And Religion In The Matrix" (Summerdale)





This book may be of interest to anyone who has seen The Matrix trilogy. As a fan of the films, I bought this book to explore some of the themes in ‘The Matrix’ more deeply. I was hoping for some insights into the movie’s motifs and hidden meanings. I was fairly well satisfied.


A couple of elements in the book took me into various authors' encyclopedic knowledge of science fiction or philosophy. However, highlights included:
An interesting discussion on ‘Was Cypher Right?’ ie: if you had the choice, and you knew the truth, would you plug back in forgetting the real world, and live out your fantasies in VR? An interesting question.

Another element in the book is the idea of simulation and the nature of reality, and the film is indebted to the ideas of Jean Baudrillard, particularly "Simulacra and Simulation".

A bonus revelation in Robert Sawyer’s enlightening explanation of AI and what was really going on in ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’.

Peter Lloyd’s explanations of how Matrix technologies could actually exist one day; a nice introduction to Buddhism from James Ford; Ray Kurzweil’s scary proposition that Matrix-type processing power is not all that far away; and Bill Joy’s counter argument that we should think about pulling the plug now.

The book’s real masterpiece, though, is the final essay, and I assume it was placed last intentionally. ‘Are We Living In The Matrix?’ by Nick Bostrum is one of those page turning revelations that just stuns you....well it stunned me, but then you may think differently.

Comments

[ba1126.livejournal.com]

When I see dozens of people traveling together on public transportation and all 'plugged in' with ipads, and iphones and such, it does seem like the Matrix!!

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

So we have a deal then, Mr. Regan?

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

"We might be living in the Matrix" looks to me to be a classic skeptical argument, not much different from Descartes' demon. That is, it suffers from a version of the fallacy of self-invalidation.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Ohh, may have to read this one. Do love a book that makes us question our actual reality. Even though our perceptions of reality (have often been argued) to be false anyway, or (at the very least) skewed to our expectations.

*HUGS*

[quirky-thoughts.livejournal.com]

Loved the movie. Looks like an interesting book. *Adds to my list* :)

[thespian15.livejournal.com]

Hmm, maybe I should be watching The Matrix? lol...

Pull the plug now? YIKES... There are so many things I want to do yet. :o
Hugs, Jon

[kabuldur.livejournal.com]

I had to watch The Matrix for my second degree, and so I think I would find that book interesting :)