The Matrix of Indian philosophy Reloaded

[Guest guest]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/xml/uncomp/articleshow?artid=47915199

 

Imagine. The world is an illusion. The universe is composed of computer codes... a virtual fantasy force fed to us. The most over-analysed movie since film critics were invented, The Matrix: Reloaded abounds with theological references. Christianity, Buddhism... all streams jostle for space, even as a hefty dose of Greek philosophy is thrown in.

 

But the very premise on which the movie is based — the illusory world versus the real world — recalls the concept of ‘Maya’ in Hinduism. ‘‘Maya has several levels to it of which illusion is one level. The foundation on which The Matrix is based assumes that ours is a computer-coded world — hence, it is an illusion. In this regard, there is a parallel,’’ says sociologist Ashish Nandy.

 

The Vedas state that whatever is happening all around is Maya, a dream which Lord Vishnu sees as He sleeps. Maya shields the truth or Brahman from the self or Atman. ‘‘Maya, as a concept, is both fluid and unstable. It exists but, at the same time, it is fictitious,’’ says Imtiaz Ahmed, professor of sociology at JNU.

 

This explanation is analogous to The Matrix philosophy, which states that we live in an illusory world and only an unplugged/awake world is the real world. In the movie, Neo, Morpheus and Trinity often leave the real world behind and, by computer wizardry, enter the Matrix. But it is not their physical beings, but their mental projections which fight all the battles. This recalls the Vedanta concept of ‘mithya’, the belief that only the Almighty is real.

 

The Vedantas say that humans live in a world of illusion and, when we comprehend this reality, we realise that man and the Almighty are one. ‘‘Acceptance of the ‘real world’ can be linked to Brahman — the supreme consciousness. Sankara asserts that the individual Atman and the universal Brahman are one and the same and the concept of a creator distinct from the creation is a cosmic illusion,’’ says spiritual guru Sudarshanacharya Maharaj. Moreover, Neo’s realisation that the world is a computer programme is compared to attaining nirvana.

 

In one scene, a boy bends a spoon by sheer will-power and tells Neo, ‘‘To bend the spoon, you need to realise that there is no spoon. The spoon does not bend, you yourself bend.’’ When Neo realises the truth about illusion, he becomes omnipotent — he is even able to stop bullets! ‘‘Hinduism propounds a similar belief. It talks about nirvana and how, when man attains divine knowledge, he conquers all fear; he experiences eternal peace,’’ says Sudarshanacharya Maharaj. Moreover, as with Arjuna in the Mahabharata, Neo, is caught in a dilemma at the hour of reckoning — of having to choose between saving the world and saving Trinity.

 

Neo chooses the latter, thus deviating from his ‘duty’ as interpreted by Lord Krishna in the Gita. However, his prior exchange with the Oracle is insightful. ‘‘You already know my choice. How is it a choice then? What if I do not choose?’’ he asks her. ‘‘Even that is making a choice,’’ she tells him. ‘‘Knowledge is the only truth. Knowledge is power — the power to make a choice. And this power helps good in its fight against evil — be it in the Mahabharata or The Matrix,’’ says TKV Subramaniam, dean of social sciences at DU.

 

Behind the metaphoric blitzkrieg perforating The Matrix: Reloaded is the unwritten word of Indian philosophy, which has influenced man and mankind since time immemorial. Ironically, it has taken the box-office success of a blockbuster movie based on illusion to reload a universal truth — Indian in spirit —once again.

[Guest guest]

the philosophy of the movie is pretty

much new age quakery.

 

but the concept of the matrix,is based on reality,

that is spoke of by quantum physicists

as well as Sri Krsna.

 

reality as a virtual reality, matter as an illusion,

hidden control from another dimension.

 

that is confirmed by quantum physics,and the Bhagavad gita.

 

The 4 dimensional world we experience,with a 5th dimensional lens, our consciousness.

 

This entire physical world is at the quantum level

apparently comprised of non mass,non physicality.

 

The nature of quantum reality is that at the most basic

level, matter is an illusion of physicality , photons

have no mass, matter at the smallest level is comprised

of wavelets of energy, which are somehow transformed

into particles of mass or matter.

 

Just like a computer virtual reality creates a world

that is based on another dimension,our world is

based on another dimension.

 

Also like a VR where everything is comprised of bytes

of information creating a VR world of seeming

physicallity,our world is comprised of bits of

energy seemingly imbued with information that creates

our seeming physicality.

 

As Krsna states in the Gita ,everything rests on him

like pearls on a thread.

 

so our reality is resting or manifested with a thread

of consciousness throughout,the 5th dimension ,that of consciousness, just like a VR computer

game where the seeingingly real world is in truth

dependent on the computer and the consciousness

controlling it.

 

[Guest guest]

The particle physics and quantum physics basically explain that the energy can be converted to mass and mass to energy.

 

The whole universe is a mass/energy based universe.

The whole world is a non-physical reality.

 

 

[Avinash]

It is the theory of relativity which says that mass can be converted to energy and vice versa.

[gHari]

Listen to Bhakta Einstein explain it himself HERE, Einstein Explains the Equivalence of Energy and Matter.

 

I think it is often called the first law of thermodynamics. Actually I had to check it HERE:<blockquote>First Law of Thermodynamics

 

The first law of thermodynamics is often called the Law of Conservation of Energy. This law suggests that energy can be transferred from one system to another in many forms. However, it can not be created nor destroyed. Thus, the total amount of energy available in the Universe is constant. Einstein's famous equation (written below) describes the relationship between energy and matter:

 

E = MC 2

 

In the equation above, energy (E) is equal to matter (M) times the square of a constant ©. Einstein suggested that energy and matter are interchangeable. His equation also suggests that the quantity of energy and matter in the Universe is fixed.</blockquote>

 

This conservation of energy thing that got everybody so explosive was really an afterthought following the actual Theory of Special Relativity.

[Avinash]

The mass energy equivalence formula of Special Theory of Relativity is not the same as the First Law Of Thermodynamics.

 

Moreover, the law of conservation of energy was known even before the theory of relativity.

 

PS: Did you know that the law of conservation of energy as we know it now had no meaning at the time of Big Bang because space and time were highly curved?

[Avinash]

E=mc^2 says that mass and energy are equivalent or, in other words, what we consider as mass is also a kind of energy.

 

This formula can be derived from the basic postulates of the theory of relativity, viz., the homogeneity of space and time, and the speed of light in vacuum being the same in all frames of reference.

 

The formula E=mc^2 combined with the law of conservation of energy says that total mass + energy in the universe is a constant. We can say it if we want to distinguish between mass and energy (which is not a good understanding of relativity). I would prefer to say that total energy of the universe is fixed, where mass is also included in energy. I would also like to say that the total mass of the universe is fixed where energy is included in mass.

 

Another interesting thing about relativty: Just as relativity shows the equivalence of mass and energy, it also shows the equivalence of electricity and magnetism. Just by changing the frame of reference, the electric field can be changed to magnectic field and vice versa.

[gHari]

The quote "Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday" was also derived from the Lorentz Transforms?

 

Since the speed of time is limited by the speed of light according to sqrt(1 - v/c), as the distance to NOW diminishes to zero, then the distance to tomorrow and yesterday approach infinity.

 

REMEMBER: BE HERE NOW

 

[Avinash]

I had not thought of the relation between Lorentz transforms and the quote in my signature. But, I like your way of thinking. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

BTW, you have written sqrt(1 - v/c). It should be sqrt(1 - v^2/c^2).

 

What is the meaning of tomorrow and what is the meaning of yesterday?

[Avinash]

Distance to NOW from when?

[gHari]

From the state of consciousness to NOW. The state is red-shifted by material energy.

[Guest guest]

of coure the theory that matter can be neither

created or destoyed is outdated, there has been numerous

studies showing exactly that, particles coming into

existence.

 

space cannot curve, that is foolish.

 

Einstein made a lot of mistakes, for instance

he called his "cosmic constant' the biggest mistake

of his carreer.

 

this is the problem with modern astrophysics,it has and is dominated by theoretical mathematicians.

 

they are not scientists and make no experiments

to confirm their theories, they base their theories

on Pure math, and base that on previous specualtions,

and that on previous, and on and on.

 

Reality is something not appreciable by pure math, there are

to many variables and the interactions of those

which are infinite.

so pure math theorems are next to useless,

as most of what passes for physics is.

[I_love_krishna_]

Ofcourse he made alot of mistakes.

 

Because he is human.

 

A paramecium needs time to figure out the nature of the petri dish it is in... in my science lab /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

In the same way, the human needs time to figure out the nature of universe he is in ... in krishna's science lab /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Avinash]

The curvature of space sounds as foolish idea if we do not take into consideration what is the meaning of space and what is the meaning of curvature in relativity. It so ofen happens that Science uses the words which laymen also use, but the meanings are not exactly the same. If we do not want to go into details, then the meanings may be more or less the same. But if we go into details, then we find the differences.

[Avinash]

Particles can come into existence because of two reasons:-

 

1. Photons can be converted to particles. For example, a photon cab be converted to positron and electron.

 

2. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle allows particles (or any form of energy) to come into existence out of nothing. But these particles must disappear into nothingness within a short while. The higher the energy the fatser it should disappear.

[Guest guest]

The Ion collider, like the one we see in brookhaven national laboratories, uses ions -which are charged atoms and basically collides them.

 

The faster they collide, the greater # of new particles are formed.

 

However, these particles do not stay in existence for a long time, when they disappear, it has been said that energy converts to mass.

 

In reply to :

_________

Heisenberg's uncertainty principle allows particles (or any form of energy) to come into existence out of nothing. But these particles must disappear into nothingness within a short while.

_________

 

isn't it the 3 quark formation of baryons that create the new particles? however these particles are unstable and are caused due to different energy levels, thus making them have a very very short period of existence. It is like less than a second. So, as we see, the quarks that exist in baryons and mesons create the new particles. It is not from nothingness.

 

Space is never empty even when the naked eye cannot see the particles... there are thousands of smaller particles than the atom and these thousands of particles are passing through us right now.

 

One of these types is neutrinos, Neutrinos are one of the smallest particles seen and these particles are passing through our bodies right now, but we don't even feel them.

 

The only way to detect neutrinos is if we have a big hunk of chlorine to be placed in water, when the neutrinos hit them, then the chlorine atoms give off light.

 

So particles never come out of nothingness. They come from energy and they convert into energy.

 

The conservation of mass theory is not an old belief, it is still true.

 

The total mass of the universe is said to be a combination of both energy and mass. Today, the universe as we see it now is said to be mass dominant.

 

To explain the expansion of universe through mathematical means, the scientists have concluded that matter exists in large proportions and energy is converting to a stable matter still, thus making the expansion possible.

 

/images/graemlins/smile.gif Forgive me, I am only in high school, so if some of my information is false... you know what to do /images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

Anyway, Most of the information I got is from a mentor that I found from Brookhaven labs.

 

They have a photo Ion collider that can be seen from space!!! isn't that cool! /images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

Its big, really big and its on long Island.

 

-enlightened

[Avinash]

It is true that energy can be converted to mass. This is what is done in many labs in which particles are created. So, in these experiments, total energy (including mass) before the particles are created is the same as that after the particles are created.

 

Consider a different question. Can particles be created out of zero energy? Please note that when I say energy then, unless otherwise specified, I include mass also. So, when I say zero energy, I mean zero mass also. It may seem that it is not possible because it will violate law of conservation of energy. But the answer is that it is possible. But the particles must disappear leaving nothing (not even radiation). How quickly should the particles disappear? To know this, consider

Heisenberg's uncertainty formula

dE*dt = h/(4PI)

 

Here,

dE = uncertainty in amount of energy,

dt = uncertainty in time duration

h = Planck’s constant

 

We can rewrite the formula as dt = h/(4*PI*dE) If the total energy of particles created is DE, then these particles must disappear within h/(4*PI*dE)Since dE comes into denominator, this means that the greater the energy of particles, the faster they must disappear.

 

As I have written, it is possible that particles can be created out of zero energy. But, does it happen in our real world? It does happen, It happens in what we call as vacuum. In vacuum, particles are continuously getting created and destroyed. When these particles are destroyed, then they do not leave any trace. That is why they are called as virtual particles. The word ‘virtual’ does not mean that they do not exist. It is just that they exist for a very short time. But, during the time they exist, they behave like what we call as real particles.

 

[Guest guest]

very cool! /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Avinash]

To the guest who wrote "very cool" :-

 

Are you "enlightened"?

Now, do you see how particles can come into existence out of nothing?

[Guest guest]

/images/graemlins/grin.gif

-enlightened

[Guest guest]

Einstein made up the curvature of space as a way

to explain the universe as a closed system.

 

which in and of itself is illogical.

 

what is closing it in ?

 

the truth makes fools of us all.

[I_love_krishna_]

The God makes the fool of a human - /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

-enlightened

[Avinash]

If you study Friedman's solutions to Eisntein's equations, you will find that Einstein's equations support both closed as well as open universe. The solution depends on the parameters chosen. It is like the solution of differential equations. When you solve a differential equation, then you will find a solution which will contain constants. By giving various values to the constants, you will get various results. Which of these solutions is the actual solution of a given problem depends on other information that are to be given with the problem. Similarly, we have to use experimental data to decide what parameters to choose to solve Einstein's equations.

 

The term "closed universe" simply means that universe will stop expanding one day and will start contracting. The term "open universe" means that the universe will keep on expanding for ever. So, the question - what is closing the universe in - is meaningless.

 

Einstein himself believed in static universe. It is not that his belief came from his equations. The belief in static universe was a prevalent belief in those days. The initial version of Einstein's equations did not support static universe. But the belief in static universe very prevalent and Einstein also believed in it. That is why, Einstein added a constant term to his equations. He latter called the introduction of this constant as the biggest mistake of his life. This constant term is what is known as vacuum energy.

[Guest guest]

Einstein was a mathematican, he based his ideas

on math,divorced from the reality of the world.

 

He was doomed to make errors,why ?

 

without taking into account the nature of reality

you are doomed to make mistakes trying to describe

it using only limited methods of deduction.

 

without understanding the sub quantum nature of reality,

the attempts to categorize the phenomena appearing

in the quantum flux is bound to be full of error.

 

[I_love_krishna_]

Everything first is just computations, but when you see it in reality when it actually happens it is said to be true.

 

but how do you suggest we acheive the truth with out having it figured out theoretically? Great mathematicians like Newton and descartes have first figured out it in computations first.

 

You don't expect people come up with equations like G= k(m1+m2)/d*d through sitting under the tree watching apples and feathers fall do you?

/images/graemlins/smile.gif