The definition of sceptic is “a person who is inclined to doubt or question accepted opinions.” Essentially a sceptic is dubious of virtually everything. In some ways a sceptic could be like a philosopher, as they also question everything. Sceptics essentially are dubious about everything. Scepticism ties into our previous subject which we did in the branch of Epistemology. “what is it to know?” it talks about how we can never truly be certain about anything. Sceptics are the same.
We come to realise that scepticism is abundant in the highly spoken of film “The Matrix”. In the movie it is portrayed that everyone is being kept captive in a simulation known as The Matrix, hence, the name of the movie. The goal of The Matrix is to distract humans away from reality. The reality that the Earth is overrun by artificial intelligence and human are nothing more then cattle that are harvested frequently. Upon watching the film we start to question our own reality. Is it really me that’s experiencing this life or are they merely my senses being inhibited by a simulation. In this line of thinking one could say that sceptics are right to question everything as we as humans are only beginning to scratch the surface of what we know and certainty. If we take a look at Cypher’s conversations with Trinity in the movie:
Cypher: If I had to choose between the Matrix and the real world…. I choose the Matrix.
Trinity: The Matrix isn’t real.
Cypher: I disagree, Trinity. I think the Matrix can be more real than this world…
How do we know which world is more real? Or feels more real? In the article “What’s so Bad About Living in the Matrix” It explains that the standard view is no from most people. It goes onto say that that “even if no one ever discovered that it was so; even if no one ever figured out that the Matrix is just what it is, it is just a dream world.”
Sceptics may be right but in the end we need to question the idea of being a sceptic. Continuously doubting oneself or others may lead to a disconnected lifestyle and could be quite depressing. It is important to trust and even if we are wrong it is much better to continue living and cherishing the moment rather then doubting the next. Like Cypher said “ignorance is bliss.”
