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Philosophy 101
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What defines reality?
| Philosophy 101 |
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What defines reality? |
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Kitherion Member
since 2006-08-01
Posts 181Johannesburg |
Oh, goody goody goody... well, for a start let's just say hi to everyone again (getting your masters degree in psychology is proving to be a little stressful, considering that it takes an "A" to get into the Doctorate course) and to ask: WASSUP???? Sorry about that, my amygdala is working overtime. But back to the topic, what is it that people perceieve as reality? Is it Freuds theories on the unconciouss mind creating our reality, or is it as Jung theorised: that the human conciousness is a collective conciousness? I for one, are inclined more to the belief that the human brain is what creates the mind, with it's cognitive thought patterns and various bio-chemical processes, but that's just me. This brings another question: can you have reality without a mind? Anyway, good to see you all again... Don |
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Ringo 
since 2003-02-20
Posts 3684Saluting with misty eyes |
Reality, plain and simple, (and without the letters after my name) is perception. What one perceives is what is real- or reality- to that person. While others might perceive, for example, a rock star as rich, powerful, famous, talented, and worthy of adolation, that rock star (movie star/wrestling star/ etc) might perceive him/herself as being a loathsome toad. Which is "reality"? One or the other? Both? Neither? Whatever one perceives is the reality, is- in fact- that reality. What would you attempt to do...if you knew you could not fail?. |
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Edward Grim Senior Member
since 2005-12-18
Posts 1154Greenville, South Carolina |
I agree with Ringo 1000%. "can you have reality without a mind?" That is a very interesting question. When you look at individuals in a vegetative state (such as severe brain damage or in a coma possibly), you have to wonder if they have a "reality." Well, a dead person has no earthly reality, so could a "brain dead" person have a reality? You know what they say: Kill the head and the body will die. Since reality is something the individual perceives and if the individual can't even think, then no you can't have reality without a mind. That's my take on it. Head Cheese & Chicken Feet |
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Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
There was an interesting discussion started about that around... (OMG!  ), uhm, over 7 years ago./pip/Forum8/HTML/000111.html |
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Edward Grim Senior Member
since 2005-12-18
Posts 1154Greenville, South Carolina |
lol Well I've heard of history repeating itself, but... You know what the Chinese say: What happens twice will happen three times. Head Cheese & Chicken Feet |
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Brad Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705Jejudo, South Korea |
Reality is a possession? |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
quote: If it were as simple as that, then there would be no such thing as an optical illusion, or those nice little warnings on our automobile mirrors: "objects are closer than they appear". You have to figure in an objective world at some point, or else deal with it when it smacks you. Subjectivity and objectivity must be married somehow, if we're to even approach ontology. Stephen. |
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jbouder Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash |
Equating reality with perception seems more like vanity to me. Brad ... is vanity a possession? |
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Brad Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705Jejudo, South Korea |
I guess so. We are in possession of characteristics, right? So, are we discussing 'what defines reality?' or 'what defines our perception of reality?' If I remember correctly, I have sometimes muddied the ground here as well. Is it mud?  |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
If you take away the suffixes from reality, you have re-, from Latin res meaning "thing". The suffixes al, and ity, basically just make it an adjective (re-al) and then make it an abstract noun (re-al-ity), "the state of being a thing". We could do the same thing with the word thing using the English suffixes ly and ness, giving us thingly, and then thingliness. So what defines thingliness (reality)? It seems to me any and every thing does! |
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XOx Uriah xOX Senior Member
since 2006-02-11
Posts 1403Virginia |
The meaning of the word define is... "to limit" What "defines" reality ? Nothing Limited reality = phenomenon Therein... Lies the question. |
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Kitherion Member
since 2006-08-01
Posts 181Johannesburg |
Ed... You can't say that the fact you have no ocipital lobe/lesioning of the ocipital or temporal/parential lobe leads to the loss of reality! Just because the patient cannot express a physical reality, does not mean that his reality is any less important... |
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Local Rebel Member Ascendant
since 1999-12-21
Posts 5767Southern Abstentia |
/pip/Forum8/HTML/000524.html |
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Drauntz Member Elite
since 2007-03-16
Posts 2905Los Angeles California |
everything except your own opinion. |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
including yours?  |
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Drauntz Member Elite
since 2007-03-16
Posts 2905Los Angeles California |
exactly. my opinion on you or the world is your reality. how nice! can't ignore!! |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
quote: This contradicts what you previously said ... that everything is reality except opinions. Opinions can be right or wrong, true or false, inasmuch as they correspond or fail to correspond to reality. Stephen |
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Drauntz Member Elite
since 2007-03-16
Posts 2905Los Angeles California |
your opinion on me belongs to my reality. my own opinion is not my reality. |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
I think it's more like, "Who defines reality?" We do. And our definition is challenged, if not daily, then regularly. A run of the gauntlet regarding adaptability, if you will. Since everything is in constant flux proper adjustments must be made. |
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Huan Yi Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688Waukegan |
. Catch your finger in a car door . . . . |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
been there, did that |
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Stephanos
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618Statesboro, GA, USA |
quote: I think a better term would be "interpret" rather than "define". Reality is not dependent upon our interpretations, but the other way around. That's where adaptability comes in, when we face reality on its own terms. quote: Actually your opinion IS also your reality, unless you deem yourself unreal. I think what you may be trying to say is that the interpretive content of opinions cannot correspond to reality, hence someone else's opinion becomes reality only by "being" rather than interpreting. But I don't see why one's own opinion would not also be a part of reality. Nor do I see why the interpretive aspect of someone's opinion may either correspond or fail to correspond to reality. That's why we have words like "lie" and "truth", and "right" and "wrong", and "correct", and "incorrect". It's a necessary way of looking at things unless you want to take the way Nietzsche did, and call all reason and interpretation false, and only pure sensory perception "real". But the moment he did, he lost the right to talk, apart from adding to the noise. Stephen. |
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Drauntz Member Elite
since 2007-03-16
Posts 2905Los Angeles California |
part of or all of my opinions could be illusions...which is not reality unless is pathological. I have to adjust my opinions based on surroundings... My opinion: Sun is black while black is green and green is blue...my blue is not your blue. My opinion does not fit reality so need to adjust. If I insist then it becomes pathological reality. Are we talking about normal people or else? |
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