Exegesis of the MatrixTable of contents of Exegesis of the Matrix:
1. PROLOGUE
2. TECHNOLOGY
2.1 Is the Matrix technologically possible?
2.1.1 Intuitive scepticism
2.1.2 Technical scepticism
2.2 The interface between human and machine
2.2.1 The bioport
2.2.2 Mind-brain-avatar feedback
2.2.3 Psychoactive drugs in the Matrix
2.2.4 The red pill
2.2.5 Entering and leaving the Matrix
2.2.6 The use of telephones in entry and exit
2.2.7 The Wachowski telephone theory
2.3 Humans as batteries, or as co-processors?
2.4 Does the Matrix run on wetware?
2.5 Virtual food, real effects
2.6 Superhero powers in the Matrix
2.6.1 Agent morphing
2.6.2 Flying
2.6.3 Telekinesis in the Matrix
2.6.4 Vampires, werewolves, and an angel
2.6.5 Hacking the Matrix network
2.6.6 Why read the raw code of the Matrix?
2.6.7 Dodging bullets
2.7 Taking things in and out of the Matrix
2.8 The bugbot
2.9 Matrix and Meta-Matrix
2.9.1 Baudrillard's Hyperreality
2.9.2 Small clues
2.9.3 Hacking the Meta-Matrix
2.9.4 Agent Smith uploaded to the Meta-Matrix?
2.9.5 Neo's coma
2.9.6 Why people look the same
2.9.7 Recap: entering the Matrix and Meta-Matrix
2.9.8 Two matrices, one architect?
2.9.9 Nested Matrices or parallel Matrices?
3. PHILOSOPHY
3.1 Philosophical sources
3.1.1 Plato (c. 427 - 347 BC)
3.1.2 Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi (1165 - 1240)
3.1.3 René Descartes (1596-1650)
3.1.4 George Berkeley (1685-1753)
3.1.5 Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
3.1.6 Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)
3.2 Ludwig Wittgenstein's 'language-games'
3.3 Is the Matrix philosophically possible?
3.3.1 Anti-Matrix theories
3.3.2 Philosophical scepticisms
3.3.3 Knowing versus making knowledge claims
3.3.4 What does 'knowledge' mean?
3.3.5 Anti-Matrix scepticism defeated
3.3.6 Reality, virtuality, and language-games
3.3.7 Is total virtuality a coherent concept?
3.3.8 Is reality inside or outside the Matrix?
3.3.9 Must Neo discard all he has learnt?
3.4 What do we mean by 'real' anyway?
3.4.1 David Chalmers and the brain-in-a-vat
3.4.2 How to tell whether you are in the Matrix
3.4.3 Chalmers claims to reject Berkeley
3.4.4 Envatting reconsidered
3.4.5 The elementariness of physical entities
3.4.6 Problems with Chalmers' argument
3.4.7 How detailed must the simulation be?
3.4.8 Just-in-time reality generation
3.4.9 Conclusion
3.5 Are Agents conscious?
3.5.1 Are agents emoting, or only mimicking?
3.5.2 Information is not consciousness
3.5.3 Brains versus machines
3.5.4 Perceptions in the Matrix
3.5.5 Agents in the Matrix
3.6 Free will and destiny
3.6.1 Free will considered as a human privilege
3.6.2 Can we tell the future?
3.6.3 Archetypal programs
3.6.4 Purposefulness in humans and machines
3.7 Ethics
3.8 The Wachowskis? reading habits
4. RELIGION
4.1 What is religion for?
4.2 Christian Names in the Matrix
4.2.1 Neo
4.2.2 Mr Anderson: 'Son of Man'
4.2.3 Thomas: the twin
4.2.4 Trinity: the tripartite divinity
4.3 Rebirth and Embodiment
4.3.1 Resurrection
4.3.2 Baptism
4.3.3 Rebirth
4.3.4 Avatars and embodiment
4.3.5 Betrayal
4.3.6 Jesus entrapped by Judas Iscariot
4.3.7 Neo entrapped by Morpheus
4.4 Gnosticism
4.4.1 Gnosticism versus Christianity
4.4.2 The Golden Thread
4.5 Islamic mysticism: the mirror
4.6 Judaic messianism: the One
4.7 Judaic mysticism: the Kabbalistic tree
4.7.1 History
4.7.2 Kabbalistic metaphysics
4.7.3 A Kabbalistic path in The Matrix Reloaded
4.7.4 Numerology of number plates
5. PLOT DETAILS
5.1 Naming convention
5.2 The Mother of the Matrix
5.3 The Merovingian
5.4 The Architect's speech
5.5 The Architect's monitors
5.6 The cycle of Matrices
5.7 Is Neo human?
5.8 Reality
5.9 Morpheus' chair
5.10 Allusions
5.10.1 Greek Mythology
5.10.2 The Old Testament
5.10.3 The New Testament
5.10.4 Buddhism
5.10.5 Gulliver's Travels
5.10.6 Alice in Wonderland
5.10.7 Wizard of Oz
5.10.8 Sleeping Beauty
5.10.9 Angel Heart
5.10.10 Nineteen Eighty-Four
5.10.11 Albert Bender: the men in blacK
5.10.12 Jacques Vallee: anomalous entities
5.10.13 Babylonian folklore: the gidim
5.10.14 Cornel West: the politics of race
5.11 Spoof allusions
5.11.1 Odd questions
6. POLITICS
6.1 Is Neo the hero or the villain?
6.2 Showing violence
6.3 Collateral damage: murdering civilians
6.4 Violence and religion
6.5 What is Neo fighting for?
6.5.1 The politics of Zion
6.5.2 Indoctrination in Zion
6.5.3 The casus belli
6.5.4 Alternative scenarios
6.5.5 Why fight the Matrix?
6.5.6 The most likely scenario
6.5.7 What would 'victory' be, anyway?
6.5.8 Morpheus' covert political role
6.6 Zen and the art of jazz politics
6.7 Self-definition
7. EPILOGUE
8. POSTSCRIPT: WHY BOTHER?
9. REFERENCES
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