The Matrix Movie Essay

The film The Matrix presents and deals with many interesting philosophical issues. Here I will discuss a particular scene from the film, namely, the 'red/blue pill' dialogue between Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Neo (Keanu Reaves). This dialogue can be considered as dealing with a philosophical thought experiment: Nozick's (1974) experience machine, and questions that arise from it. Namely, would an individual, after coming to know that they are not actually directing their own life, but are instead connected to an experience machine, choose to stay connected to the machine, or disconnect in order to live a self-directed life in the real world?

Nozick uses the experience machine as a challenge to theories which hold that pleasurable mental
As Morpheus takes a seat, the shot frames him, with his hands and the shiny metal box he is holding having a more prominent scale, thus capturing the viewer's attention. It gives the viewer a sense that this box holds some importance, which is later shown to contain the actual red and blue pills. As Morpheus offers Neo either the red or blue pill, which symbolises the choice between a life in the real world or continuing in the experience machine, the camera frames the pills in the palms of Morpheus's open hands. The camera takes a close shot, giving the pills, or the 'choices', great scale, signifying the weight and importance of Neo's impending decision. Then, just as Neo reaches in to take the red pill, choosing to abandon his virtual life of the experience machine, Morpheus causes him to pause when he emphasises that, “remember, all I'm offering is the truth, nothing more”. After Morpheus's qualification, Neo still takes the red pill. This drives home Nozick's assertion that we care most for an authentic, self-directed life. Even if it risks the loss of pleasurable mental states, which here, is clearly not what Morpheus is