Jewell 1

Parker Jewell

Professor Drexler

Philosophy 1000

27th November 2017

The Allegory of the Matrix

Plato and Epicurus

The movie The Matrix is in many ways, a modern retelling of Platos classic allegory of

the Cave, where reality is not what it seems, people are imprisoned in a false world with

absolutely no knowledge on what is really happening, and some of the people fight their way to

enlightenment and aspire to free others. I am going to reflect on the values and choices made

by the character Cypher. While using our Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophers (Plato and

Epicurus) I will be focusing on what matters to us morally, how to live a good life, how to define

happiness, and what we are obligated to do in life.

Ancient Greek philosopher Plato (428-324 B.C.E.) would say that Cypher is making

unenlightened immoral decisions just like any other poor servant living in harsh reality. Plato

said, I think he would rather suffer anything than entertain these false notations and live in

this miserable manner. (p. 207) Plato was referring to the people living in a false world that

have been in chains their entire life but it very well correlates with Cyphers situation in the
 Jewell 2

Matrix. Cypher wished he hadnt made his decision to take the red pill from Morpheus. The

red pill revealed the truth to the Matrix they were in called The Desert of the real. Where

aliens have taken over earth and have been growing humans to use their bioelectricity and

thermal heat for power for survival.

These survivors that are woken from the Matrix live day by day hiding from aliens in a

hovercraft called the Nebuchednezzar where the survivors broadcast their pirate signal and

hack into the Matrix. The survivors can travel through computer programs and they have to

survive by eating chunky white goop. One day Cypher has enough of this real world they were

in. He cannot endure this harsh reality very much longer so he does some business with the

enemy and makes a deal with the Sentient programs. The Sentient programs offer Cypher

anything he would like and a clean erased memory in exchange for his leader Morpheus.

These Sentiment programs can move in and out of any software still hardwired to their system.

That means anyone the survivors havent unplugged yet could potentially be an agent. These

agents are the gatekeepers of the matrix. They live to protect the Matrix.

The Sentient programs arrive shortly after Cypher gives away their position and then

they capture the survivors leader Morpheus. Cypher immediately returns to the

Nebuchednezzar and kills one of the team members named Dozer with a very lethal weapon

and knocks out Dozers brother Tank with the same weapon. Cypher then kills two more

team members (Apoc and Switch) by pulling the plug in their brain while they were still

programmed in the Matrix. Tank gains consciousness back and then he kills Cypher with the

lethal weapon before Cypher could take out the chosen one named Neo.
 Jewell 3

Plato would agree with Homer that Cypher became a poor servant of a poor master.

Plato was a very obligated philosopher. Plato said, You must contrive for your future leaders

another and a better life than that of a ruler, and then you may have a well-ordered State; for

only in the state which offer this, will they rule who are truly rich, not in silver and in gold, but

in virtue and wisdom, which are the true blessings of life. I believe Plato is saying you must be

obligated to create a better life for your new leaders or rulers, not take them down like Cypher

did. If the state was like this then the State would be very rich in virtue and wisdom, which are

the true blessings of life. Plato would say Cypher was living a very much unblessed life.

Epicurus (323-31 B.C.E) believed in Hedonism which means that the goal of life is

pleasure. He also believed pleasure is the key to happiness. Epicurus said, The right

understanding of these facts enables us to refer all choice and avoidance to the health of the

body and the souls freedom from disturbance, since this is the aim of the life of blessedness.

(p. 610) Epicurus is describing Hedonism as having a healthy mind, body, and soul free from

distractions. That is the goal of life and what we are obligated to do to live a blessed life.

Epicurus would agree with Plato that Cypher is living a very much unblessed life. Cypher didnt

have a healthy mind or soul. He was so caught up in his own opinion that he let distractions

come into his life like the Sentient Programs and he paid the consequences for it because he

was killed by Tank.

In Epicuruss 17th principle doctrine he states, The just man is most free from trouble,

the unjust most full of trouble. (p. 614) I believe Epicurus is trying to say if you behave

according to what is morally right and fair then you will have the least amount of troubles. If
 Jewell 4

you dont behave according to what is morally right and fair then you will have the most

amount of trouble. This is very true in Cyphers situation in the Matrix. Epicurus would say

Cypher was a very unjust man in this situation. In the matrix, Cypher only cared about himself

and what he wanted. He wanted a different life in general. He wanted to be a rich actor and

forget all about the Matrix. He wanted a completely new life even though he knew it wouldnt

be a real life because the sentient programs promised him anything he wanted. Cypher didnt

want to follow orders from Morpheus anymore, or behave according to what is morally right

and fair.

In Epicuruss 22nd Principle doctrine he states, We must consider both the real purpose

and all the evidence of direct perception, to which we always refer the conclusions of opinion;

otherwise, all will be full of doubt and confusion. (p. 614) I believe Epicurus is trying to say you

must acknowledge all of your surroundings and true meaning behind all of it, before you just

automatically jump to conclusions with your own opinion. If you look past what is really going

on around you then you will be very confused. You will be full of doubt and that leads to

rebellion and not believing in a true purpose.

In the Matrix, Cypher does just about the complete opposite of the 22 nd principle.

Epicurus would say that Cypher couldnt handle the pressure of the real world in front of him.

He was so blinded by the truth that he wasnt able to see past what really mattered in life. He

didnt realize that what he was doing with these survivors was actually good for the entire race

of human beings. The survivors were essentially bringing people back to life by choice. Though
 Jewell 5

the circumstances were very harsh in this real time reality, they were actually making a

difference in the world, and that is the true meaning of life.