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  exegesis of the matrix

peter b lloyd

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table of contents
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  • 1. TECHNOLOGY
    • 1.1 Is the Matrix technologically possible?
    • 1.2 The interface between human and machine
      • 1.2.1 The bioport
      • 1.2.2 Mind-brain-avatar feedback
      • 1.2.3 The red pill
      • 1.2.4 Entering and leaving the Matrix
      • 1.2.5 The use of telephones for entry and exit
      • 1.2.6 What the Wachowskis thought the phones were for
    • 1.3 Humans as batteries, or as co-processors?
    • 1.4 The bugbot
    • 1.5 Virtual food, real effects
    • 1.6 Superhero powers in the Matrix
      • 1.6.1 Agent morphing
      • 1.6.2 Flying
      • 1.6.3 Telekinesis in the Matrix
      • 1.6.4 Vampires, werewolves, and an angel
      • 1.6.5 Hacking the Matrix network
      • 1.6.6 Why read the raw code of the Matrix?
      • 1.6.7 Dodging bullets
    • 1.7 Matrix and Meta-Matrix
      • 1.7.1 Baudrillard's Hyperreality
      • 1.7.2 Small clues
      • 1.7.3 Hacking the Meta-Matrix
      • 1.7.4 Agent Smith partly uploaded to the Meta-Matrix
      • 1.7.5 Why people look the same
      • 1.7.6 Recap: entering the Matrix and Meta-Matrix
      • 1.7.7 Two matrices, one architect?
      • 1.7.8 Nested Matrices or parallel Matrices?
  • 2 PHILOSOPHY
    • 2.1 Philosophical sources
      • 2.1.1 René Descartes
      • 2.1.2 George Berkeley
      • 2.1.3 Plato
    • 2.2 Ludwig Wittgenstein’s ‘language-games’
    • 2.3 Is the Matrix philosophically possible?
      • 2.3.1 Anti-Matrix theories
      • 2.3.2 Philosophical scepticisms
      • 2.3.3 Knowing versus making knowledge claims
      • 2.3.4 What does ‘knowledge’ mean?
      • 2.3.5 Anti-Matrix scepticism defeated
      • 2.3.6 Reality, virtual reality, and language-games
      • 2.3.7 Is total virtuality a coherent concept?
      • 2.3.8 Where is reality? Inside or outside the Matrix?
      • 2.3.9 Must Neo discard all he learnt in the Matrix?
    • 2.4 What do we mean by ‘real’ anyway?
      • 2.4.1 David Chalmers and the brain-in-a-vat
      • 2.4.2 Digression: How to tell whether you are in the Matrix
      • 2.4.3 Chalmers claims to reject Berkeley
      • 2.4.4 Envatting reconsidered
      • 2.4.5 The elementariness of elementary physical entities
      • 2.4.6 Problems with Chalmers’ argument
      • 2.4.7 How detailed must the simulation be?
      • 2.4.8 Just-in-time reality generation
      • 2.4.9 Conclusion
    • 2.5 Are Agents conscious?
      • 2.5.1 Are agents really emoting, or only mimicking?
      • 2.5.2 Information is not consciousness
      • 2.5.3 Brains versus machines
      • 2.5.4 Perceptions in the Matrix
      • 2.5.5 Agents in the Matrix
    • 2.6 Free will: A human privilege
    • 2.7 Telling the future: Strategic programs?
    • 2.8 Purpose: A problem for humans and machines
  • 3 RELIGION
    • 3.1 What is religion for?
    • 3.2 Religious Names in the Matrix
      • 3.2.1 Neo
      • 3.2.2 Mr Anderson: ‘Son of Man’
      • 3.2.3 Thomas: the twin
      • 3.2.4 Trinity: the tripartite divinity
      • 3.2.5 Morpheus
    • 3.3 Rebirth and Embodiment
      • 3.3.1 Resurrection
      • 3.3.2 Baptism
      • 3.3.3 Rebirth
      • 3.3.4 Avatars and embodiment
      • 3.3.5 Betrayal
      • 3.3.6 Jesus entrapped by Judas Iscariot
      • 3.3.7 Neo entrapped by Morpheus
  • 4 PLOT DETAILS
    • 4.1 Naming convention
    • 4.2 The Mother of the Matrix
    • 4.3 The Merovingian
    • 4.4 The Architect's speech
    • 4.5 The Architect's monitors
    • 4.6 Reality
    • 4.7 Allusions
      • 4.7.1 The Old Testament
      • 4.7.2 The New Testament
      • 4.7.3 Buddhism
      • 4.7.4 Alice in Wonderland
      • 4.7.5 Wizard of Oz
      • 4.7.6 Nineteen Eighty-Four
      • 4.7.7 Albert Bender: the men in black
      • 4.7.8 Babylonian folklore: the gidim
  • 5 POLITICS
    • 5.1 Is Neo the hero or the villain?
    • 5.2 Showing violence
    • 5.3 Collateral damage: murdering civilians
    • 5.4 Violence and religion
    • 5.5 What is Neo fighting for?
      • 5.5.1 The politics of Zion
      • 5.5.2 Indoctrination in Zion
      • 5.5.3 The casus belli
      • 5.5.4 Alternative scenarios
      • 5.5.5 Why fight the Matrix?
      • 5.5.6 The most likely scenario
      • 5.5.7 Morpheus' covert role
    • 5.6 Self-definition
  • 6 POSTSCRIPT: WHY BOTHER?
  • 7 REFERENCES
    • 7.1 Interviews and online chats
    • 7.2 Scripts and transcripts
    • 7.3 Web sites
    • 7.4 Books

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