1. INTFILO Midterms
Aguilar Eugenio
Benito Regalado
Dimayuga Uy

2. Question # 1
What to you are the central themes in Plato’s allegory of the cave? What are the ways by which the film closely resembles the allegory of the cave? Conversely, what are the ways by which the film differs from it?

3. Central Themes in Allegory of the Cave
The things that we see are not always true.
As long as man is contented, he would not question
Falsification of the Coherence Theory
The narrow-mindedness and lack of ability to question
Sticking with the status quo
Subservience to the will of others
Fear to the unknown

4. Central Themes in Allegory of the Cave
The tendency of people to steer others away from reality.
Fear of change

5. Resemblance Between Inception and Allegory of the cave…
Mal believing that the dream that Cobb and she was having is the reality.
The people who are left inside the cave believe that the shadows they are seeing are real.

6. Resemblance Between Inception and Allegory of the cave…
Cobb made Fischer believe that they were entering another person’s dream.
The puppeteers made the people inside the cave believe that the shadows were real.

7. Resemblance Between Inception and Allegory of the cave…
Mal steers away from the true reality
Those left in the cave refused to believe what their enlightened friend said

8. Difference between Inception and Allegory of the Cave…
All the character, even Mal, were able to comprehend true reality in the end
They killed their enlightened friend, refusing let go of what they believe in

9. Difference between Inception and Allegory of the Cave…
Mal refused to accept that she was finally awake
The man who escaped from the cave accepted enlightenment

10. Question # 2
How does the mind separate false reality from true reality? Enumerate instances (key scenes) where the film clearly delineates “false” reality from “true” reality.

11. True vs. False Reality
True Reality can be defined as what one perceives when in a conscious state
There should be a correspondence with cognitive framework and perception

12. True vs. False Reality
While dreaming, individuals assume that what they perceive there are real due to man’s tentative grasp on what is real and what is not real.

13. True vs. False Reality
Your mind will be able to tell the origin of an idea, and it will also be able to distinguish whether that idea is your own or not.

14. True vs. False Reality
If the reality that one perceives deviates from normalcy, the reality is false

15. True vs. False Reality Scene # 1 Absurd Physics with the Spinning top
Image by sohansurag

16. True vs. False Reality Scene # 2
Paradoxical Structures of Ariadne and Arthur
Image by AzraelEvangeline

17. True vs. False Reality Scene # 3 The Dead Mal Being Alive
Image by Inception

18. True vs. False Reality Scene # 4
Ariadne unknowingly engages in dream sharing with Cobb
Image by Inception

19. True vs. False Reality Scene # 5
Saito noticing that the carpet was made of polyester instead of wool
Presents the principle of the correspondence theory
Image by Inception

20. Question # 3
If someone can infiltrate your dreams in order to make you behave a certain way, do you really have free will? Is free will that easily manipulated?  

21. Free Will? Dreams are a part of one’s subconscious
Manipulation of a victim’s dreams lead to manipulation of his/her free will.

22. Free Will? Influence can lead to manipulation
Sufficient influence may lead to control over a victim’s free will

23. Free Will?
Acting according to what you yourself would want to do at the moment. If outside forces prevent you from doing this, then they are tampering with your free will.
Easily manipulated.
It is “free” so it is also available for the public to mess with.

24. Free Will?
Alexander of Aphrodisias argued the existence of events that had no predetermined causes
He does not observe determinist views

25. Question # 4
Discuss how Cobb’s actions follow closely either some of the 4 Noble Truths or all of them.  

26. How the Film showed the 4 Noble Truths…
How suffering is real everywhere and anywhere, and how we will always be able to tell where the suffering came from.
That suffering is one thing the true and false world had in common.

27. 4 noble truths in his actions
He is experiencing suffering due to the loss of his wife and his inability to be with his children

28. 4 noble truths in his actions
His suffering is due to his guilt over the suicide of his wife, the law suit set up by her, his inability to dream and create dreams, and his refusal to share his problems with others

29. 4 noble truths in his actions
He finds out that there is a way to end his suffering

30. 4 noble truths in his actions
By forgiving himself and striking a balance in his life, they were able to accomplish the mission.

31. The EightFold Path
Only by achieving these was Cobb able to finally end his suffering