Skepticism

Any questions from last week’s lecture or the readings?

PlatoDescartesBrain-in-a-vat

Debate or video project?

Write:

NameUniversity numberChoice of debate or video projectIf debate: preferred subject(s)If video: preferred topic and preferred team members

Questions and quotations on the MatrixQuestions on the Matrix will be handed out to

those who have seen the Matrix before.

These questions will be posted on the course blog for other students.

Read the questions and think about them before next week.

Also posted will be quotations from the movie.

David Chalmers, The Matrix as Metaphysicshttp://consc.net/papers/matrix.html

The Matrix is not truly an example of a skeptical hypothesis

The world is just constituted differently than we know.

Atoms, molecules, electrons and forces are real, but ultimately composed of computer code.

The horror of the Matrix is not that the world is “virtual”, but that the world is constructed by other beings, who can interfere in it, change it, restart it, etc. at will.

Human accomplishments seem meaningless, because the computers are ultimately in charge of human history.

Are human accomplishments meaningless if they are not lasting?

Required reading

Questions on and quotations from the Matrix posted on the course blog.

Suggested reading:

Daniel Dennett, “Where am I?” at: http://www.newbanner.com/SecHumSCM/WhereAmI.html (new link: last week’s link is no longer valid)