The document discusses perceptions of truth and reality in the film Rashomon by Akira Kurosawa. It analyzes the perspectives of film critic Roger Ebert and philosopher Simon Morris on whether there is an absolute truth or if truth is subjective. The film tells the same event through different character perspectives. The document argues Morris' view that there is an absolute truth that can be discovered fits the film better, as supported by common-sense realism and Plato's Allegory of the Cave. However, it also notes the film leaves the true account ambiguous and relativism and empiricism suggest truth could depend on individual perspectives.

1. NonBunpetch
Mr. Clover,SeniorSeminarP.7
9/22/10
Perception in Rashomon
Thingsaren’talwayswhatit seems.Whoknows,maybe everythingaroundusrightnow aren’t
real.Perceptioncanbe definedasanawarenessof thingsusingourfive senses;whichare sight,sound,
touch,taste,and smell.Itisone of the fourwaysof knowing,alongsidewithreason,language,and
emotion.The movie RashomonbyAkiraKurosawaisastoryfollowingamurderandrape case, inwhich
duringthe investigation,all foursuspectsclaimsto be the murderand eachtellsa differentstory.
Morris’sviewof howtruth and realityisabsolute fitswiththe movie RashomonbetterthanEbert’sview
of truthand realitybecause inthe movie there isonlyone true story, Common-Sense Realism, and
Plato’sCave.
In the movie, althoughKurosawashowedusdifferentviewsof the storyandhow people can
interpretthingsdifferently,inthe end,there isonlyone truth. AsMorrisstatedthat “What really
surprisedme onre-watchingRashomonisthatyouknow whatreallyhappenedatthe end.It’spretty
damnclear. Kurosawagivesyouthe piecesof evidence thatallow youtofigure outwhatreally
happened.”Kurosawashowedusinthe endthatthe woodcutterisa goodguy bytakingthe baby, sohe
wouldn’tlie abouthisstory.Morrisbelieve thattruthexists, butpeople justdon’thave vestedinterest
inknowit; as powerfullyexemplifiedbyRashomonwiththe courtnot beingable tosolve the murder
case inthe end.
Commonsense realismisatheorythatsupportsMorris’sview of realityandtruth.Common
sense realismstatesthatwhatreallyhappened,happened;the actof observationdoesnotaffectof

2. whatis observed.Whichinthe movie Rashomon,itissimplyfourdifferentobservations of the case,but
that doesnotaffectwhat reallyhappen,asonlyone truthoccurred.That connectswithMorris
interpretationof truthashe statedthat “there’snoobjective truth,justsubjectivetruth.”Onlyone
truth andrealityexist.
Plato’sCave alsohelpssupportMorris’sview inthe movie Rashomon.Plato’scave isastoryin
whichthe prisonersof the cave are bindso thattheycan onlylookatthe wall,andsee the shadowsof
things.The prisonersare livinginalie theirwhole life anddonot know it.In the movie Rashomon,Itcan
be compared that the author triedto state the court islivinginside the cave,notknowingthe truth,only
seeingpeople’sinterpretationof thingsjustlikethe shadowsonthe wall.Tofindthe absolute truthand
realitytheyhave togo outside the cave,andsee whatreallyhappened.Morrisalsobelievesthatthere is
an absolute truthandreality,youcannotsimplyfindoutbyjustlisteningtowhatotherpeople say.
But there issome falsehoodinMorris’sview of Rashomon.If Kurosawawantedtoshow that
there isonlyone truth,he wouldhave hadstatedsoin the end,butyet,he didnot.It wouldalsobe
likelythatKurosawatriedtostate that there are differenttruthsdependingonpeople’sinterpretation,
as supportedbyrelativismandempiricism.Relativismstatesthattruthisrelative,andmaybe different
for differentindividualsorfordifferentcultures. AndEmpiricismstatesall knowledge isbasedon
perceptual experience,soif someone observed,heard, smelled,orfeltsomething,itisknowledge. Both
theoriescontradictedMorris’sviewontruthandreality.
Morris viewof truthand realityfitwell withthe movie Rashomontoacertainextent.Theories
and evidence thatsupportsMorris’sview are inthe endthere isonlyone real story,common-sense
realism,andPlato’sCave.All of these basicallystatesthatonlyone absolutetruthandrealityexist.But
there are also theoriesthatcontradictMorris’sview suchasthe reasonof the story, relativism,and
empiricism.All statingthatperceptioncause differentviewsthusendingindifferenttruthandreality.