The idea that we are not seeing or sensing what is real but only an illusion brings up many topics and debates. The most interseting to me was the idea that "real" may not always be better than the "fake" alternitive. I think the knowing that i was living a fake life would bother me. One question i had was what makes something real...what made the Matrix the real lige and the other the fake why not the other way around??
It is very hard for an individual to find out that what they have seen, heard, touched, smelled, or tasted is an illusion. For example, sometimes it is extremely hard for me to engage scientific theories such as the Big Bang Theory because in my religion God created us all from dirt. And it's not like I'm an ignorant person, and therefore my brain almost forces me to engage in lessons such as those. But at the same time how can one know if their religion is the truth. Many individuals find it hard to believe in God just because they can't actually see Him. And it said in my religion that God's throne isn't here on earth, but the devil is here on earth where you can see his workings.
This idea makes me contradict everything that I see, feel, smell, hear and taste. How do you distinguish something that is real from something that is fake? Is it real until you find out that it is fake? The definition of real is something that is true and actual. If I believe it is true and actual, is it real? In my opinion, if you believe that it is true, then it is real.
Reality may never be known to us, as a human race. Or perhaps we really are living in reality. A real life example of someone living a life that isn't real (as we see it) is someone with Schizophrenia. How are they sure the things they see and the people they heal are real or illusions?
I agree with Peter in that since we may never know what exactly is our reality, we should accept our lives as real, and that we are not really laying in a pod full of goo, waiting to be harvested for energy. It may be easier for a person with Schizophrenia to live in their personal world then to try and live in reality.
I found this idea really interesting that what we perceive is real could possibly just an illusion, and reality is only based on our perceptions and our notion of what is real. It's crazy to think that each day of our lives, every minute could all just be a dream, and then at some point we could wake up and be in an entirely different world.
With this idea it seems impossible to truly define reality or make concrete conclusions on what is "real" versus what is false or an illusion or dream. To me, after being introduced to this idea, it seems impossible to really know what is real.
I really liked what Peter said, that if he believes something to be true than it is real to him. But this would make reality completely different for each individual. If someone's personal idea of what reality is, is based on their beliefs, then reality is totally different for everyone because everyone has unique beliefs and ideas of what they believe to be true.
And yet I think it's good and almost necessary to consider your beliefs to be somewhat true because why make an effort to believe in something if you didn't believe it was true in the first place? It would seem like a very negative, doubtful world if no one believed in their beliefs.
If our life is really an illusion, or if reality is all but a dream, then at least all of humanity is together in this illusion and we can strive to make the best of our dream. Because, if we spend our entire lives contradicting our beliefs we will be left with only doubts. I agree that it is important to reflect upon our ideas of reality and question the truth, but it is also important that in doing so we don't lose all of our beliefs or sense of being.
The idea that we are not seeing or sensing what is real but only an illusion brings up many topics and debates. The most interseting to me was the idea that "real" may not always be better than the "fake" alternitive. I think the knowing that i was living a fake life would bother me. One question i had was what makes something real...what made the Matrix the real lige and the other the fake why not the other way around??
ReplyDeleteIt is very hard for an individual to find out that what they have seen, heard, touched, smelled, or tasted is an illusion. For example, sometimes it is extremely hard for me to engage scientific theories such as the Big Bang Theory because in my religion God created us all from dirt. And it's not like I'm an ignorant person, and therefore my brain almost forces me to engage in lessons such as those. But at the same time how can one know if their religion is the truth. Many individuals find it hard to believe in God just because they can't actually see Him. And it said in my religion that God's throne isn't here on earth, but the devil is here on earth where you can see his workings.
ReplyDeleteThis idea makes me contradict everything that I see, feel, smell, hear and taste. How do you distinguish something that is real from something that is fake? Is it real until you find out that it is fake? The definition of real is something that is true and actual. If I believe it is true and actual, is it real? In my opinion, if you believe that it is true, then it is real.
ReplyDeleteReality may never be known to us, as a human race. Or perhaps we really are living in reality. A real life example of someone living a life that isn't real (as we see it) is someone with Schizophrenia. How are they sure the things they see and the people they heal are real or illusions?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Peter in that since we may never know what exactly is our reality, we should accept our lives as real, and that we are not really laying in a pod full of goo, waiting to be harvested for energy. It may be easier for a person with Schizophrenia to live in their personal world then to try and live in reality.
I found this idea really interesting that what we perceive is real could possibly just an illusion, and reality is only based on our perceptions and our notion of what is real. It's crazy to think that each day of our lives, every minute could all just be a dream, and then at some point we could wake up and be in an entirely different world.
ReplyDeleteWith this idea it seems impossible to truly define reality or make concrete conclusions on what is "real" versus what is false or an illusion or dream. To me, after being introduced to this idea, it seems impossible to really know what is real.
I really liked what Peter said, that if he believes something to be true than it is real to him. But this would make reality completely different for each individual. If someone's personal idea of what reality is, is based on their beliefs, then reality is totally different for everyone because everyone has unique beliefs and ideas of what they believe to be true.
And yet I think it's good and almost necessary to consider your beliefs to be somewhat true because why make an effort to believe in something if you didn't believe it was true in the first place? It would seem like a very negative, doubtful world if no one believed in their beliefs.
If our life is really an illusion, or if reality is all but a dream, then at least all of humanity is together in this illusion and we can strive to make the best of our dream. Because, if we spend our entire lives contradicting our beliefs we will be left with only doubts. I agree that it is important to reflect upon our ideas of reality and question the truth, but it is also important that in doing so we don't lose all of our beliefs or sense of being.