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Keeping it real is a popular phrase that movie director Stuart Rosenberg coined in the 1980s.

But these days, there’s a question as to whether general reality even exists.

That uncertainty was explored by Everett Community College philosophy professor Mike VanQuickenborne during a one-hour presentation at La Conner Swinomish Library last week.

VanQuickenborne appeared here as part of the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau.

His interactive program included several references to “The Matrix,” the classic 1999 science fiction action film that depicts a frightening future in which humanity is trapped inside a simulated reality created by intelligent machines to distract people while using their bodies as sources of energy.

“The movie is fairly outlandish, as AI (Artificial Intelligence) has taken over the world,” VanQuickenborne said.

Yet he referenced the film’s story line to show how reality can be altered intentionally.

“With AI, weaponizing reality becomes even more scary,” he said. “Today, we can’t really know what reality is.”

To reinforce the point, he showed how difficult it is to tell the difference between an actual photograph and an image that has been altered with photo-editing software. VanQuickenborne alluded to controversies surrounding altered photos recently released by the British royal family.

While VanQuickenborne allowed that science puts humanity in touch with reality, much about the universe remains a mystery.

“All our best antibiotics couldn’t kill MRSA,” he said of the aggressive staph infection. “But a 10th century recipe from Bald’s Leechbook can.”

VanQuickenborne said political polarization has further muddied things. People now embrace different realities, he said.

La Conner’s Dave Buchan, among those attending the program, picked up on the point.

“We each have a sense of ourselves that expresses and shapes our own reality,” he said. “To assume that there is one general sense of reality is dangerous.”

VanQuickenborne said the dilemma for society has increasingly become one of “how would you know if something is manufactured as opposed to being authentic?”

His own answer is to be vigilant in the search for reliable sources of information, as well as to consider the model posed by pragmatists who instead of pressing reality simply pursue what works.

“If you’re locked in a dark room, you won’t worry about reality,” VanQuickenborne explained. “You’ll worry about how to get out of the dark room.”

An enthusiastic speaker who sprinkled humor throughout his lecture, VanQuickenborne said his primary aim in the classroom is to encourage his students to think for themselves. Equally important, he wants to avoid painting doom and gloom scenarios during his class sessions and public forums.

“I don’t want us to leave here scared,” he quipped.

Indeed, VanQuickenborne closed on a positive note. He pointed to current legal issues engulfing the ChatGPT AI chatbot that uses natural language processing to create humanlike conversational dialogue.

“There is a sign of hope,” VanQuickenborne chuckled. “ChatGTP is being sued by the New York Times for copyright infringement.”