O'Dowd Peter Introduction to Philosophy Film Review April 25th, 2008 1. The second journey seen in the movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey is titled "The Jupiter Mission". In this division of the movie, the Monolith was discovered on the moon. There was enough human technology to build a base on the moon, and while doing research the men up there were the ones to discover it. It was said to be "the most significant discovery in the history of science". Later on, scientists were sent up to the moon to study it. The trip was very advanced, with a space station containing a Hilton hotel, where the scientists had to lay over and take another space shuttle to take him to the site. When the scientists finally began to study the Monolith there was an interesting discovery. When the sun finally hits the Monolith (after days of no sunlight), a radio transmission is sent, leading the researchers to go to Jupiter. This initiates the 18 month expedition, in order to find another discovery or further knowledge. When we relate this division of the film to Book 7 of the Republic, we can analyze it through a different philosophical lens. In Book 7 of the Republic, Socrates attempts to illustrate human nature in both states of the educated and the uneducated. He tells the reader to envision prisoners in a cave that has a long entrance with fire burning above--giving them light. Higher up, between the fire and the prisoners, people and animals walk along--allowing only for the prisoners to speculate the shadows of passer-bys, their fellow prisoners and themselves. If the prisoners were to speak with each other, they would believe that what the saw was actually reality. It is a "reality" that any person would have sworn by. Socrates explains
that "men like that would firmly believe truth to be the shadows of the artificial objects" (Socrates). Of course, if our prisoner were able to lookup and see the light from the fire, he would at first be blinded. Afterwards, however, when the objects passing by were pointed out, the prisoner would be perplexed and believe that the shadows are truer than that reality. Upon returning to the cave and to the things he believed were in reality clearer than the ones pointed out. If forced outside again, the prisoner would be blinded, outraged and unable to see the truth. Gradually and eventually he would adjust and associate his old shadows (his old wisdom) with the objects that they belong to. Upon facing these realizations, Socrates says that the prisoner will think back to his former beliefs and prior "wisdom" and pity his fellow prisoners. More significantly, if he attempted to go back to that cave--darkness would fill his eyes and he would not be able to make out the shadows like he used to. When the scientists were first exposed to the Monolith (or new realm of knowledge) on the moon, it was their duty to follow the radio transmission to Jupiter. This exposure could potentially change the entire belief system that humankind assumed. Socrates claims that when our prisoner attempts to show his fellow prisoners his new world, they would believe that his eyes were ruined and they would want to kill the person who was trying to make them go up into the sunlight. When I saw the section of the movie where Hal attempts to murder the crew members, I couldn't help but think of this part of the Republic. Although Hal is not human, he has a fixed "flawless" knowledge based upon the realities that human's currently embrace. Hal will never admit to being wrong (like the other prisoners of the cave who remain ignorant). And as soon as Dave questions his reliability and faith in his "wisdom", Hal attempts to terminate the
entire crew. Hal says the failure of the communications unit was due to "human error" and that the 9000 series has a flawless system record. However, the "wisdom" that the prisoners had was just as flawless as wisdom that Hal had in terms of their perceived knowledge--that is, of course, until that reality was flipped upside down. Furthermore, Socrates says to apply this to all that has been said, and regard "the upward journey and the viewing of the upward world as the soul's ascent to the intelligible" (Socrates). To take his point even further, Socrates takes claims that the "shape of the good" is finally (with difficulty) seen in the intelligible realm. When it is seen, it must be recognized for what it is and this person (along with the people like him) will feel as if it is his obligation to act rationally for himself and his community. Clearly Hal did not act rationally for his community, despite how "intelligent" he was. This intelligible realm and shape of good can never be seen by Hal, and that is why he should have never been given so much control over decisions that should be made by humans.
One theme that I found to be very comparable in both journeys is the motif of the sun. When the prisoner exits the cave for the second time, he will gradually see the stars and the moon--he will then be able to see shadows in the daylight thrown by the sun and eventually will see objects in the full light of day. The sun makes this new perception possible. Just as the Monolith sends radio transmissions to Jupiter once the light hits it, the scientists were undergoing a similar discovery of knowledge. If we took the prisoner back into the Cave, into his old world, he would not be able to function well in his old world of shadows. That is why the 18 month expedition to Jupiter was inevitable-- because the scientists had been exposed to another realm of knowledge and could not simply ignore it, but instead pursue further learning. For the allegory, the Cave (or the
scientists' ignorance to another realm of knowledge) corresponds to the realm of belief; the World of Day (or a ground-breaking scientific discovery) corresponds to the realm of knowledge. The sun, Socrates then notions, stands for the Form of Goodness itself.
2. The movie begins with "The Dawn of Man." This beginning gets you right into wondering exactly what is going on. It starts with an image of a mother and father ape embracing a baby in a cave. We then see two groups of man apes, one at a watering hole and the other on their way to the watering hole. The two groups of male apes come into contact and get into an argument. The first group is outsized and so they get kicked out and leave before any trouble starts. Later, the first group has an encounter with the Monolith, which is seen as an extremely mysterious object like something they've never seen before. Like in the "Myth of the Cave", if we unchain one of the prisoners and make him turn he around, would be very frightened, dazzled by the fire and the new realm of knowledge. The apes begin to touch the Monolith (or there new realm of knowledge) after admiring it for a while. As time passes, another encounter between the two groups is seen, but this time one of the male apes, stands up for his side and attacks the other with a bone scaring off the others. It is significant to see here that he uses the bone as a tool. The Monolith symbolizes a similar insight to the pursuit of knowledge that we see in all the divisions of the film. Soon enough, we see that the apes are all eating together, taking turns at the water hole. As stated before, Socrates takes claims that the "shape of the good" is eventually seen in the intelligible realm. When it is seen, it must be recognized for what it is and this person or people (or apes for that matter) will feel as if it is his obligation to act rationally for himself and his community.
The final journey of the movie was called "Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite." This was a time that occurred after a long eighteen month trip to Jupiter. This part of the movie showed a much more advanced time with new technology. On this journey they use the latest technology that almost controls the people before Dave turns it off. When Dave finally gets near Jupiter he sees the Monolith within the orbit of the planet. He tries to follow it in one of the pods of the space ship. The Monolith begins to move away and Dave continues to follow. He travels through a very bizarre type of funnel, from the speed (near or at the speed of light, perhaps) and unknown reasons, finally ending up in a mysterious room, seeming to have "perfect" aspects. This part of the movie can definitely be related to the "Myth of the Cave" for several reasons. Socrates claims that the prisoners adjustment to the new realm of knowledge is gradual and that he would look at shadows first, and then associate them with the objects that they belong to. Finally, Socrates says that the prisoner will be able to see himself and contemplate what he is like. In "Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite", we see Dave watch himself, looking at himself. This image is similar to the Myth of the Cave, in that he is coming to some sort of realization or epiphany. Quickly enough, the audience watches as Dave ages and finally is seen on his death bed--all in a matter of minutes. It is the fourth and final appearance of the Monomyth. We see Dave pointing at the Monomyth and becoming a fetus or "reborn". In terms of the "Myth of the Cave", Dave could be seen as having "seen the light", or a truer reality that he has never been exposed to. The appearance of the fetus may display how the Monolith exposed Dave to an incredible reality, causing him to be reborn--or a freed prisoner. 3.
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy investigating principles of reality transcending those of any particular science, traditionally, cosmology and ontology. It is concerned with explaining the ultimate nature of being and the world. Descartes begins his metaphysical philosophy by a process of systematical doubt. Methodic doubt (or systematical doubt) is a systematic process of being skeptical about (or doubting) the truth of one's beliefs. The aim of Descartes metaphysics is to arrive at judgments of the truth of which is beyond doubt ("certain and indubitable") by applying his first and basic rule. He doubts information arrived through the senses, gained through memory and all conclusions arrived through reasoning. Descartes' concern with certainty is important, not because he is trying to discover some belief which he feels so confident about that he can't bring himself to doubt its truth, but instead he seeks to discover basic beliefs about which he could not possibly be mistaken in thinking them true. I felt like was a very appropriate philosopher to relate to a metaphysical concern presented in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Hal, the "flawless" 9000 series computer system, is programmed to believe himself as being correct in everything within concerns for the mission. When Hal suggest letting the communications unit fail, Dave begins to question Hal's decision making and notice that he is "acting strange". Dave and Frank agree that Hal will have to be disconnected if he doubts or refuses to obey a human's decision. It is at this point that Dave begins to understand that he should have never had so much unquestionable confidence in Hal's words being the undoubted truth. As time goes on, Dave must doubt everything that Hal says, because Hal is not a human--nor does he posses the correct wisdom to make rational decisions under certain circumstances. It is
extremely unlikely to "reliably" understand the nature of reality and so Dave has no choice but to apply Descartes' ideas of metaphysical philosophy. 4. In my opinion the first journey "The Dawn of Man" can also be seen as a religious journey. The appearing of the Monolith seems to show the religious mode of thinking because while the apes were sleeping it appeared as if it were a miracle. Also, the apes look at it as if it was a higher being and in my opinion they make it seem like the Monolith is some type of god. Although they started off as afraid and worried to approach it, the worrying finally leaves them. It can even be said that it seems as if they are having a revelation of sorts. As time passes, one of the apes learns of the idea of using bones as a tool and the Monolith was also present during this time as well. The ape then looks at the Monolith and continues to hit the bones to break them. While doing this the ape continues to glance at the Monolith as if it were a god telling him to do this. This whole idea now teaches the group how to provide themselves with a form of constant food and protection. The whole idea seems to represent the concept of religious thought very well because it is ironic that after the Monolith appears, the apes learn the knowledge of tool use, and enables them to evolve into men. I think that St. Augustine would view this object of the Monolith as a form of good or wisdom. He would think that because the Monolith was able to provide wisdom and teach the apes. He would have possibly also related the Monolith to faith. According to St. Augustine, faith is both the individual's response to revelation and at the same time the basis for a newer (deeper) knowledge of that revelation. It seems
to portray that idea that the Monolith could have been an answer to their "prayers" for a better form of life. The tone of St. Augustine's major work is most regarded as "prayerful".