First off, if you haven’t watched The Matrix, you need to do so. It’s a shiny glowing gem of a movie that has not only aged well (it came out in 1999), but its themes continue to resonate strongly in today’s philosophical market.
Rather than serving as a simple parlor trick or merely the imaginative fancy of Hollywood, the best and the brightest of minds still find themselves perplexed, if not deeply troubled by the simple question: Is it possible that we are living in a simulation?
The reason why such a question is problematic is because it jabs a stiff finger right into our epistemological eye. How do we know what we know with any real certainty? Or, more sharply, how do we know anything with any certainty at all?
Certain folks feel entirely at ease waving away such notions as silly, but I think they do so to their own peril, especially if such dismissals fail to appreciate how this question strikes at the nature of God and the nature of sin, which is just to say that it strikes at the heart of reality.
Not only that, but the history of philosophy has been broadly consumed with this question since the very beginning. In one way or another, humans seem to be locked in a particular conception of the world, one which doesn’t get at true reality—reality in its fullest and deepest conception. Plato had his cave and forms, Kant had his noumena, Hume his pervasive skepticism, and so on.
All this is alive and well today. And we have it depicted beautifully in movies like The Matrix, or, even, though in a different way, The Truman Show.
How do we know what we know with any real certainty?
For myself, I’ve been thinking about this question for the better part of twenty years. Agnosticism has long been an unwelcome neighbor in my life, clamoring about and knocking loudly against the door of my brain during the night, waking me and troubling me with mournful cries. He is one neighbor who I do not love at all.
Yet for all his clamoring, I believe that the Christian worldview offers profound insight into this thorny and troubling issue, functioning like ointment applied to a festering wound; and it does so in a way that opens up new and profound veins of theological reflection. Simply put, exploring this issue can shed light on areas of thought hitherto unexplored by many. I really do believe that the answer strikes at the heart of everything. And I really do believe it runs off Mr. Agnosticism.
So, what is that answer?
Well, the answer takes quite a bit of time to unpack. For myself, that answer took shape in the form of a book. It is called Satan’s Awful Idea: A Biblical Theology of Satan’s Fall and its Implications on the Unfolding Human Drama. You can find it here for free as a PDF.
However, while I would encourage someone struggling with agnosticism to take the time to chew on that tasty volume, I put together a couple short videos where I seek to answer, or at least offer an initial framework for answering the question: Is it possible that we are living in something like The Matrix?
One of the strengths, I think, of my approach is how it is rooted in the biblical narrative, especially as it relates to the sin of autonomy and all that that entails. If you are a fan of Van Til, I trust you’ll catch something of a whiff of his thinking.
So, before I offer the two videos, let me first point you toward some contemporary discussions surrounding this question. If I didn’t come right out and say it already, this topic has been gaining momentum. It’s been coming up fairly frequently. So if you want further context for my videos and perhaps my book, I offer the following for your “enjoyment:”
Nick Bostrom and Lex Fridman, #83
Donald Hoffman and Lex Fridman, #293
Joe Rogan Experience #1350 (See Spotify)
Dr. James Anderson of Analogical Thoughts
Dr. Gavin Ortlund, The Simulation Hypothesis
Is Reality Real? The Simulation Argument
Other discussions could certainly be added to the list, but I trust that these will keep most people far busier than they might care to enjoy. With that out of the way, this brings us to my two videos. Let me say in all sincerity, that if someone is struggling with agnosticism, I understand your plight. It can be a horrible feeling. But there is light. And it is a Light that can penetrate even this thick veil of darkness.
Please feel free to reach out to me if you want to discuss this further, especially if you are languishing under the weight of agnosticism’s unwelcome presence. Facebook is always a decent avenue for touching base.
The two videos
Part One
Part Two
