Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Philosophy - Essay Example In a prevalent information source – the Internet, where everybody everywhere can upload information – how do we know if these information are true or otherwise? These are just some of the highlights of the movie – philosophically. In the following sections, I will discuss several others that have struck a chord in me. On Utilitarianism In short and simple language the principle of utility as a consequentialist theory would say that the action is right when its consequences are right or when it brings about the greater good or pleasure to the greater number. In the movie, the principle of utility was presented but the phrase of â€Å"the greater number† can be argued since the goal was for Mr. Cobb to be with his children again. He was doing something illegal and yet he thinks it is worth it because the people who he is doing the job for can ‘erase his charges’ – the ultimate goal for Mr. Cobb. In another sense this can also be attribute d to Machiavelli’s â€Å"the end justifies the means† – that although he was doing something illegal, this was all going to be worth it once he goes home. The movie ends by showing that he was able to go home and be with his kids. The happiness that he projected is enough to show that what he went through was worth it. Many of us go through with these dilemmas with or without being consciously aware of it. What is good if we are aware of the dilemma is that we are able to make the options and weigh the best options there is for us. But if we are not aware, we might just go right in – as what is shown in the movie. How do you know what is real and what is a dream? This is one question in the movie that presented how one searches for the truth. One of the lines in the movie that may be related to this is â€Å"The smallest seed of an idea can grow. It can define you or destroy you†. Our search for truth can be hard sometimes. The truth about the best diet tips or best dating tips are all over – from the Internet, to the movies, to friends and even maybe one’s own experience. We can claim that this works for us but it may not work for the others. The usual reaction would be to look for another truth or another claim that can be true to us. On the other hand, we can modify some parts of the claim and make it true to us. The ultimate question is â€Å"how do you know it is the truth?† – Mal was plagued with this question and she was entombed in her own reality. Many of us may be trapped in our own realities like the close chance of winning the lottery jackpot, when in fact there is always that statistical chance of 1 to N; or the reality we embrace are perfect and indispensable, but in fact we are vulnerable to diseases; or the reality that we are creative and artistic, when in fact there are others who are more creative than us. We realize the reality of the matter when we fail or when we get sick â₠¬â€œ just like the â€Å"kick† that they get in the movie or when they sense the discrepancies from the reality and the dream state (which is usually painful because really, waking up to the truth can be painful as well). On Existentialism When Ariadne was introduced to the inception, she disliked it but Mr. Cobb commented that â€Å"Reality won’t be enough for her now† – and I was taken aback because it seemed like it can become an