BioShock Infinite In Regards To Religion

The third of a five part series. This essay aims to explore the correlation between nihilism and religion within the world of BioShock Infinite. 

Socialism; “The harder this de-alienation of work tries to escape from the idealization of ‘artistic’ production, the more it must define itself.” (22)

Descartes; “aesthetic consciousness’ may be recuperated as an experience of truth precisely insofar as this experience is substantially nihilistic.” (114)

A floating city in the sky, idealistically “the city of dreams” forms the basis of the franchises 2013 installment. Much like its predecessors, destination ‘Columbia’ is a city in revolt, violently called for by revolutionary Daisy Fitzroy; who could be viewed as a Sartrean type figure. Father Comstock dominates as the so-called ‘prophet,’ dictating with the appearance of a Marxian character. He is however, counteracted by the otherwise controlled Booker DeWitt; labelled the ‘False Shepherd.’ This hermeneutic interpretation is wholly Christian with a Kantian outlook; if you can’t see it then it doesn’t exist. A theory mostly demonstrated in the games epic conclusion, with Elizabeth envisioning a key to open the door to the lighthouse. On a similar note, the quote (above) suggests existential ‘choice’ as a way to progress; old values become forgotten and thus replaced with modern ones.

*WRITTEN AS PART OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER'S PHILOSOPHY MAGAZINE. READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE HERE. 

Bioshock: A Philosophical Review.

With the highly anticipated release of Bioshock Infinite (the third installment of the 2K game series), you will find below a review/analysis of the first game, complete with philosophical 

jargon and pictures and whatnot.

[All Screenshots From Personal Gameplay. Image Rights Owned by Irrational Games]

Released in 2007 by Irrational Games, Bioshock is seen as one of the Highest Rated First Person Shooters of All Time* The Gamer is immersed in the world of Rapture; an underwater city that is drowned in history. With what appears to be a longing for the past, the game design mirrors that of 1950’s/60’s America.

Amidst a plane crash, we are plunged into the depths of a Utopia; a sort of broken Atlantis. It is the end of an Idealistic Society said to have been dominated by “hand-picked” Scientists, Artists and Industrialists; a society which is now on the brink of war. You can alter your own biological structure with so called “Plasmids” (controlled by your own “will to power” – Nietzsche’s “Ubermensch”/Superman) and determine your own ending based on the choices you make throughout the game (Existentialism).

With awards such as Best Game of the Year (British Academy Video Game Awards), Best Original Game (Yahoo! Games Best of 2007) and Best Artistic Design (IGN E3 2007 Awards), Bioshock is a game like no other.

L1: "Phenomenology and Existentialism"

Existentialism. The rejection of DESCARTES. "I am, therefore I think" - We exist. There is no need for proof. [Anti-POPPER].

KANT and "The Critique of Pure Reason" [1781] Existence has no purpose, it is just necessary; a pre-condition of consciousness. As we exist, we constantly change and mutate. Our consciousness is subjective (based on the moods of the moment) and aposteriori in nature. 

HUSSERL and Phenomenology (consciousness without reference to external). "Psychology from an Empirical Standpoint" [1874] The metaphysical view that our essence is embodied. Abolition of mind and matter. Instead, mind over matter. Phenomena is presented to us through consciousness as a "thing in itself" (independent).

HEIDEGGER - "Being and Time" [1927] saw the end of the metaphysical outlook. He disagreed with HUSSERL - objects are not independent from mind, instead, they are a refection of consciousness. Objects exist only in the mind. Therefore, there can be no "absolute truth" DESCARTES - No difference between dream and reality.

DASEIN: "way of being"/"being there" (German) Reflective of the perceiver's mood. HEIDEGGERS PROJECT - to live subjectively; an 'authentic life'. Rejection of all philosophy since SOCRATES. ROUSSEAU - to break free from industrial chains.

L2: "Empiricism vs. Idealism"

KARL POPPER (1902-1994)

"Logical Positivism" The Vienna Circle (FREUD, WITTGENSTEIN). Attack on Empiricism. Metaphysics as "gibberish" consisting of theories that have not been verified. Rejection of DESCARTES, his Cogito branded a "non-verifiable induction". Something that cannot be proved through aposteriori reasoning.

POPPER was against the scientific process of induction. Like HUME, he saw the process of induction as "unreliable" but necessary in the quest for truth. 

"Hume has proved that pure Empiricism is not a basis for science... without the principle of induction, then science is impossible" (page 612)

In "The Open Society and it's Enemies" POPPER explains how the state should leave maximum room for self-correction in order to minimise suffering. Each law should be highly experimental. There is no 100% knowledge, therefore everything is untrue/falsifiable. Otherwise known as "The Theory of Falsification".

L1: "Science and Certainty"

BACON, NEWTON, EINSTEIN.

"Mechanistic Materialists" - The world as a machine.

Science as the search for the truth. The separation of Mind and Reality. Two forms of knowledge according to KANT (1724-1804). Apriori and Aposteriori. One true "by definition". The other learned through experience.

Object ---> Phenomena (perceived) ---> Noumena (unperceived) 

When an object is unperceived, "noumenal", it becomes a "thing-in-itself". SCHOPENHAUER (1788-1860) believed in the world as a "thing in itself", whereby, it is necessary for existence.

The Cartesian belief of Solopsism. The idea that only you exist and everything else is a dream. "I think, therefore I am". Apriori reasoning of the phenomenal, external world.

Modern Theoretical Physics. The idea that there was no time before time. We view the world through "space time goggles". We see the world in 3D because we, ourselves, are 3D beings. Time as a mental phenomena. [EINSTEIN] - "The Verification Principle" "The truth is of any proposition is the way in which you verify". Supportive of BACON'S inductive method.

NEWTON. The laws of nature from nature itself. Knowledge is objective and independent from perception. Apriori.

Journalists taught to "play dumb". We can know nothing for certain. Aposteriori reasoning of deduction, not induction.

"The Paradigm Of Change" #2

19th Century Romanticism was greatly dominated by 'German Idealism'. Influenced by the almighty power of the Prussian State, it produced such philosophers as Immanuel Kant who declared that "not everything can be known" - the idea that certain knowledge of the world is beyond our understanding.

His philosophy went on to influence the likes of Hegel, Byron and Schopenhauer at a time when British Empiricism was thriving.

HCJ Seminar Paper (20/03/12)

Max Weber (1864 – 1920)

Weber’s political philosophy appeared towards the end of the Enlightenment, a time of Social Radicalism that called for a revolt between the two main classes; the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. British Empiricism was at a standstill and the rise of the German state secured a more conservative way of thinking.

Following on from Karl Marx’s (1818 – 1883) political philosophy, Weber’s beliefs were wholly Kantian. He believed “The essence of politics is struggle" (Kilcullen, 1996, [Online]). He describes how power is obtained through political struggle; therefore there is value in conflict. Kant describes an “internal struggle against wicked desires” (Robinson and Groves, 1998), whereby we perform a duty in order to become virtuous.