»Free Will and the Anomaly«

There’s been endless talk in several threads about what exactly is the Anomaly. I’ve come to the conclusion that “anomaly” has many meanings on many different levels, but all referenced to one thing. When “anomaly” is referred to in the movies, I think there is a fundamental anomaly in the program that is specifically "choice" or, even better, “Free Will”.

However, when using the term “anomaly”, the characters (particularly the Architect) expand the meaning to refer to the cause of the anomaly, the results of the anomaly, and even the manifestation of the anomaly. The result of anomaly in the Matrix is “disbelief” among other things. Also, the abiltiy to bend the rules of the Matrix. The manifestation of the anomaly refers to the disbelievers of the Matrix and the One.

The term “anomaly” takes it’s most prevalent form referring to the ultimate result and manifestation of free will in the Matrix, the One, Neo, the “Integral Anomaly”. He’s not only the anomaly, he is THE Anomaly. He is Nietzche’s “Ubermensch”, He is Superman. He is even described as such by Morpheus as having the ability “to bend the Matrix to his will”. It’s almost a paraphrase of Nietzche’s “Will to Power”. On a literary level, Neo and the other freed people exist above the normal world due to their “Free Will”. I thin the other freed people in the Matrix also could be considered Nietzche's "Superman".

Now, when I say Free Will is the anomaly, I’m taking it from the themes of the Matrix. Bigger than the religious themes presented is the theme of Free Will vs. Determinism which pervades the entire trilogy. The Oracle lectures us on what “choice” means in a deterministic world. She makes it very clear that there is a plan out there, the summation of all effects of every cause. She counsels Neo that his choices have already been made and that the reason that he’s here, the purpose of life in general, is to understand the choices. But to humans, that’s not good enough. We can’t except our own predestination. We have to feel in control of at least our own fates. And so we’re given another tidbit, “You can’t see past a choice that you don’t understand” (she says this twice, once to Neo and once to the Architect). Meaning, if you don’t know what someone is going to choose, you can’t predict what’s going to happen. Despite all of her knowledge of the future, the Oracle lets us know at the end that she had no idea what was going to happen, she just had a belief. “I didn’t know, but I believed, I believed.”

The Architect and the Merovingian also take us down roads of determinism and fatalism. The Architect has constructed his master program of functions and subroutines, formulas, variables, and calculations that govern our past, present, and future. He created a perfect world for humans, but did not allow humans the fundamental freedom of choice, of Free Will. So the perfect Matrix failed. He thought it failed because humans can’t believe in a perfect world, so he created a grotesque, imperfect world and it failed again. So the Oracle presents to him the solution to the problem, what he is missing, “Choice” or “Free Will”.

I have tons more to say about this, but this post is getting too long, so I’ll stop here. Does anyone have any comments on this idea?

I would say that there are many anomalous behaviors that contributed to the eventual systemic Anomoly. Although the architect refers to it as a systemic one, and not any particular individual. I would agree that Neo is the king of all anomalous behaviors, meaning he 's able to bend the rules in the matrix a hell of alot more than a human rebel.

What I'm saying is that, on a philosophical level, Free Will is synonomous with disbelief in the Matrix. In the real world (the actual real world), it is Nietchze's assertion that the "Will to Power" allows us to impose our will upon others and even reality. This "will" is the same will that allowsNeo, trintiy, Morpheus, et al. . .to disbelieve the matrix and rise above it.

I believe that in the movie, the truest "definition" that you can give to "anomaly" is disbelief in the Matrix. I say this because after hours and hours of analyzing the Architect's speech, I've figured out that you can interchange "disbelief in the matrix" with " the anomaly" most of the time and have the statement be most meaningful. For instance:

Quote:

the anomaly is systemic - creating fluctuations in even the most simplistic equations.

I say "disbelief in th Matrix is systemic- creating fluctuation in even the most simplistic equations".

Also:

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she stumbled upon a solution whereby nearly 99% of all test subjects accepted the program, as long as they were given a choice, even if they were only aware of the choice at a near unconscious level. While this answer functioned, it was obviously fundamentally flawed, thus creating the otherwise contradictory systemic anomaly, that if left unchecked might threaten the system itself

This is why I don't say that choice itself is the anomaly. In the quote, it seems to me that the Architect says that choice creates the anomaly. So what choice is made at an unconscious level? To believe or disbelieve the Matrix. Hence, "the anomaly" is "disbelief" or at least "the choice to disbelieve". However, Scientheist correctly pointed out that the very next line refers to people:

Quote:

. Ergo those that refused the program, while a minority, if unchecked, would constitute an escalating probability of disaster

When read together, it is clear that he's referring to "those that refuse the program" as "the anomaly". This is why I prefaced my theory by saying that "the anomaly" also refers to its manifestation, i.e. those that refuse the program. That, and Neo being "the integral anomaly" and "the eventuality of the anomaly". This is also why i say that the Architect confusingly interchanges the meanings.

It's much easier to extend this when you talk about disbelief rather than choice. If the anomaly were simply choice, then why would "those that refused the program" also be considered anomalies? However, if you call disbelief "the anomaly", then it's not that confusing to refer to "disbelievers" as "anomalies". Hwoever, this is more an argument about linguistics.

My bigger statement is to say that "Free Will" is, on a semi-literal/semi-symbolic level, "disbelief in the Matrix" which is what I'm saying is the true fundamental anomaly. (phew! I thought that last post was long. I might have to change my name to Scientheist!)

No, that was good. Good job. I've thought this for a long time that anomaly has many meanings when reffered to in the movies.

Hmmm, sounds interesting.

What about combining your proposal with that about Godel's incopleteness theorem?

You say that people plugged into the matrix are characterized by their belief in matrix - let say that there is a system of such belief, which matrix is trying to enhance. And because of Godel's theorem, no system is complete. Only way of (at least psychically) completing a system is belief.

But how to do that, if you do not believe in a system (matrix) and this disbelief is proven by unplugging? Most people of Zion (and Morpheus most of all) brigded this gap by another belief: they believed in Prophecy. Just another system of belief, 'proven' by existence of matrix (According to Baudrillard, reality of real world is 'proven' by existence of Disneyland. I don't agree with that, but in a way, it gives some sence: prove by contradiction).

But what about Neo? His belief in prophecy was falsified by Architect, who told him that even the Prophecy isn't true (and proved that by degrading Zion as another system of control and prophecy being just another false belief). What else remained for Neo to believe in? I think he wasn't disbeliever like Lock was. Can it be his love with Trinity? (Neo's belief)

But Trinity has died. Although she proved her love in Neo, was he still believing in it? I don't know. But there may be another belief at hand. Belief in himself = Nietche's Ubermensch. Should we even call it a belief? I don't think so. You can only believe in something outside, something transcendent. Believe in God.

Finally, I think it was Smith, who believed in himself. It was Smith, who said that "Purpose of life is to end" - he was Nietche's Ubermensch. And Neo won, because he believed (anomaly = choise = belief).

Now, back to the Godel. He said that in every logical system is either contradiction or uprovable axiom. Why that axiom couldn't be the belief?

Hmmm, does it make any sense? Maybe it is better to say that logic can't reach everywhere (at least logic of this post, ha ha ha) ... or that our mind can comprehend only open systems and search for transcendence (expressed in belief) is a good way to make this overwhelming system (our world) open.

I don't think i understand Godel's, which is why I haven't contributed to that thread. However, what you're saying reminds me of a philosophical train of thought called "falsification." Falsification (how I understand it) states that scientifically you can never know for sure if something is true, but you can prove it to be false. It goes further to say that statements that can't be proven false are unscientific, therefore illogical and irrational. For instance, the statement "The Earth has two moons" is more rational than the statement "God is benevolent" because, even though it is obviously wrong, the moon statement can be proven wrong whereas it impossible to prove that God is benevolent. I know I'm straying off topic, but I think "falsification" might be relevant to "The Matrix" in the same way Godel's is.

In fact, I know that "falsification" is relevant because the philospher that came up with the idea is a 20th century dude named Karl Popper. Sound familiar? The Kid from "Kid's Story" is named Michael Karl Popper. I've been trying to figure out he connection, and I think you've hit on it, Titek, with disbelief, incompleteness, and "falsification".

I'm gonna do a little more research on the subject. Popper, although not well known, is actually considered by many scientists to be one of the most important scientific philosophers ever. Perhaps Godel or Beaudrillard (or however you spell it) draw from his work. Does anyone know? Anyway, you might want to look it up too, Titek.

Thats really interesting. Im gonna check up on that.

Akshat, I'm glad you're interested. Please do check it out. And let me know if you figure anything out. There seem to be three or four things from popper's philosophy that sound relevant to the Matrix but I can't figure out how to tie them in.

1) Popper's Falsification Principle.
2) His categorization of the 3 worlds of Reality
3) His attack against Historicism (a term which he created, but has taken on it's own life)

Also, his general philosophy seems to be something of disbelieving everything that doesn't have proof.

I can't figure out if his philosophies mean something to the movies, or that they are so close to the Wachowski concept that he merited some kind of tribute. I didn't see any kind of tie-in until Titek mentioned tying in disbelief with Godel's. I want to qualify, by the way, that I believe I understand Godel's, but I don't understand how to apply it to the movie. It seems similar to "Falsification", so if you understand it (how to apply it to the movie), maybe you can explain it to me.

interesting theory bachsoffice , but to generalize "anomaly", you have to consider all the instances. you have ignored the "anomaly" in Beyond. But I still agree with almost all the things you said.

bachsoffice wrote:

I believe that in the movie, the truest "definition" that you can give to "anomaly" is disbelief in the Matrix.

Good definition, but it cannot be generalized. It prefectly applies to Neo and Zionites.

bachsoffice wrote:

I thought that last post was long. I might have to change my name to Scientheist!

hmmm....do u guys get bored if I put it too long ?

Quote:

Good definition, but it ["anomaly"] cannot be generalized. It prefectly applies to Neo and Zionites.

True scientheist. That's why I qualify my "definition" by saying that it is used vaguely. I said the word "anomaly" is used in reference to the cause of the anomaly, the anomaly itself, the results of the anomaly, and the manifestation of the anomaly. The cause of the anomaly is choice, free will, and the human need for choice/free will as well as other things that cause disbelief. The anomaly is, in my argument, disbelief in the Matrix. The results of the anomaly are the the building explosions, bending of the matrix, etc. . ., and the manifestations are the freed people (zionites) and, ultimately, Neo. ALL of these things are referred to, interchangeably, as "the anomaly."

The haunted house from "Beyond" could be considered an anomaly in two ways: It is something that generates disbelief in the Matrix. Or it could simply be being used as the real sense of the word "anomaly": something wrong with the system. You know what I mean? They might be using the word "anomaly" but it's not what the Architect refers to as "the anomaly".
You could say that every mention of anomaly refers to something wrong with the system, but my argument is that when the Architect uses the word he is specifically referring to "disbelief in the matrix" and the whole family of stuff that I mentioned above.

Also, one more qualification to my defintion. Although the word "anomaly" hasn't been used to describe exile programs (that start acting on their own accord) and Smith's behavior, I believe that these things could one day be considered anomalies too. These things have never been described as "anomalous" but I wouldn't be surprised if, in any future Matrix related story, these things were referred to as an "anomaly".