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What is reality?

Reality is everything that sux

Reality is what we percieve with our 5 senses IMHO...that would be every person's reality..but.. and this is VERY arguable, I believe that there is a 6th sense..it may allow people to percieve things beyond the reality we all know....an uber-reality if u will.. my opinion..

Reality is the sum total of all the matter, energy, and any weird physics-type stuff I don't know about in the universe.

reality is what you make it

"the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them."

Reality is a strong margarita, a hot sunny day on the beach, and a weird looking Hawaiian shirt that you'd never wear if you weren't at the beach.

reality is boredom

my, my, my Phoe... kinda down aren't we ?

philosophically speaking ?

Yes, philosophically speaking.

well it is! school = reality = boredom

books/movie = fantasy but also fun

I believe that everyone's perception of Reality is different, so you can't really answer that question, unless you heard everyone's opinion?

It is tricky to give an exact definition to the word... Well, as it was already said here it is what exists actually. It a contrary to what's seeming, apparent or illusory.
I read somewhere that the reality was "the never ended sum of all the observations that are made of it".
As a matter of fact, the reality can be considered different for every person.

There is only one reality. It can be perceived differently by different people, but in that case, one of the people's perceptions is wrong. Unless you're choosing to include in "reality" such subjective things as, "that is a beautiful painting," which I, at least, would not do.

Reality is waking up every morning and having to go to work/school. And one of its inheritant qualities is that it sucks.

I think to find what reality is, is to look for what we all perceive it to be ( and so far everything that we have in common as far as reality goes) is that it sucks...

Reality is existence bored
It's why we are where we are, how we got there, and where we are heading. teehee

No one has really answered the question, I don't think anyone can..

Also Gregory, how can you say that Reality is the same for everyone, when the only reality you percieve is your own?

You can't say that.

teehee thats his reality

Well in my case he can, if reality is existence, then it's the same for everyone

You mean reality isn't flapping your arms and flying away?

Why don't you try and see what happens
make sure to jump off the roof before you start flapping

sadangel and i thought we had made a breakthrough, sil!

I did not agree to give up my former ways
But you are still the wind beneath my wings baby

Former...ways? is that the part when you ridicule absolutley everything i say?

It's also the part where I harass you naughty

oooooh.

what a thought provoking answer

I'm a very thought provoking person...in more ways than one.

http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/character/1/character49.gif coughofftopiccough

reality is the illusion we perceive as being real and no matter how hard we try we will never discover wether or not we are fooling ourselves, Maybe we want to fool ourself and believe in the illusion, maybe there is no illusion. Ppl believe what they want to believe noone can know as for sciences.

Reality is just electrical signals interrupted by our brain, or something like that

The world.

wErd....

I think you're begging the question when you say that "the only reality you perceive is your own." Unless I agree that everyone perceives there own reality, and that these realities are valid, your argument makes no sense.

Everyone perceives different pieces of the same reality.

I think candee could be right here gregory

I've been wrong before, but I'm pretty sure of this one. Could you (or someone else) explain where you think I'm wrong.

From where I'm standing, it doesn't make any sense to define reality in a way that involves people's perceptions, because there was reality long before there was anyone to perceive it.

if there is noone to perceive it than how can you A) know it was there, B) isn't reality what we make of it?

But reality is a perception, because how'd you know something exists, without existing?

Reality is existing, therefore what you just said about not knowing it existing, without perceiving it, how would it exist?


ok, I'm confusing myself... I hope somene can understand what I just typed.. lol

The world around us is real. I'm real, this keyboard I'm typing on is real. The wall next to me is real. The flowers outside are real. I know this because everyone see's the same thing that I see. When they look at my computer, they see a computer. When they look at the wall next to me, they see the same wall that I do.

I have no been taken in by that matrix bullcrap. There is no illusion about this world. It is real.

A) We have evidence that things existed before we did. Are you denying that? If you are, I think it's going to lead to problems.

B) Obviously, we can influence reality. I already defined reality as consisting of matter and energy, which we can influence. But I'm not sure what this has to do with my argument. There is one reality; when two people influence reality, they are influencing the same reality. What's the problem.

True backfire but ever heard the expression that the same color never looks the same to two ppl

We do have a sixth sense...because...I read it somewhere

Who said this world isn't real? Roflmao....

No one.... go away

Existence is one thing, what is real is another. Most people do not believe that dreams are real, nor hallucinations. Just ask them. But the same people believe there are dreams and hallucinations. Therefore, at least according to most people, things exist that are not real. The term "real" may, or may not be used synonymously with "exist." When it is not, it means mind-dependent, or does not exist independently of mind.

A) what if that evidence proves to be wrong tomorrow

and if you say reality existed before we were here, how do you know reality existed before the big bang???

again my question with the colors

I'm not denying anything, I just don't understand how this "proof" could have been proven, How can you prove something that you haven't seen or haven't existed in?

oh I forgot computers, our trusty friends that are never wrong, or maybe you found bones buried somewhere, or was it just the way some particles in some place were different to others or some other bullcrap.

It's like saying all history is fact, bullocks, basically you don't know that that is fact, if so I'd like proof.

thankwoo

No, I haven't. But common logic suggests that a color looks the same to everyone who isn't color blinded. If that wasn't the case then no one would be able to be diagnosed as color blind.

Everyone see's colours differently, you and everyone else wouldn't know this for sure, because you've only known "reality" through your eyes.

well just go out with a man and a woman and take 10 random pieces of clothing chances are they'll disagree on 5 or 6 of them.

that is because a red a bit darker isn't the same red as one a bit lighter

and the darker or lighter depends on our eyes, so the two ppl don't see the same color. eventho they both call it red

but even age changes how we perceive things, I mean look at Monet (the artist)

Then I would have to reconsider my opinion. But with all the evidence out there, from so many difference fields, it would take some bloody amazing evidence to demonstrate that it is all wrong



Before the Big Bang? Time started with the Big Bang; it makes no sense to talk about what happened "before" it.



To the best of my knowledge, "color" is merely how the brain interprets different wave-lengths of light. If everyone's brains are wired a little differently, I suppose they might perceive color differently. That's fine. I'm saying that there is only one reality, not that people don't perceive it in different ways. Obviously they do; consider that mad-men of the world.

if everyone perceives that reality in a different way, then how can you say there only is one?

Very easily. Suppose we were together in a room, and I held up a book so that it faces you. You are seeing the front cover, and I am seeing the back. We perceive it differently, but there is still only one book.

wait color is one thing but the form of the object is another

when one peson sees a square the other will see the same shape - a square and not a rectangle...

n as gregory said the realyty is the same and we see it differently in our eyes - much like colours, but the shape is still the same

u get what im saying???

That's because some people see the color "sea blue" and don't bother getting into specifics. They just say it's 'blue'. But another person (most likely a woman) will get very specific about the color. "oh no, it's sea blue, it's not blue".

They may disagree even though they see the same exact shade of blue. Just one person is more detailed in their description of the color.

Reality is my worst enemy.

That was something I was gonna point out, Women are very specific on colours... Aparently (I read in a book, lol) that women see things in more detail than men...

Just trivial things usually, like color.

but reality is made up out of all those things even the trivial and unimportant ones

Yes, and I've already told you that people can perceive reality differently. There's still only one reality, just like there's only one book.

who says there is only one reality? and what prove do you actualy have that there is only one reality?

I say there's only one reality. But what does it matter? Things are not true or false based on who says them.

If you're asking for proof, I assume that you can provide some yourself that there is more than one reality?

Proof: Every piece of evidence we have says that reality existed before we were around to perceive it; therefore, reality is not dependent on our perceptions.

as I said your evidence could be wrong, I need a sure 100% piece of evidence, I dont think it exists so I think we will always differe on this.

no I can not provide evidence, that's one of the tricky things about reality it is hard to pin down or to well proof.

PS: first question was rethorical

But ... you can never have 100% evidence of anything. Newton's Theory of Gravity, Einstein's Theory of Relativity ... none of them are proven 100% If that's what you need, I suppose we will always differ.

idd you can not be a 100% sure of anything. crazy world but that's the way it is

But that means you're also not 100% sure that there's more than one reality, right? So why believe that as opposed to believing in only one?

I guess that's why they call it believing

Yes I know, but the bottom line is the color looks the same to both people, she just calls it a different shade of blue then he does. It is the same to both parties.

maybe maybe not, you dont know that for sure

Well unless she's color blind I do.

still not 100% imo

Well if you follow logic it's more then likely.

true but logic isn't always right

Most of the time it is.

still almost nothing can be a 100% sure

exactly, most things can't be 100 percent sure. So that's not a reasonable defense.

Can I derive from this that reality only exists in our mind?

why would it not be reasonable BF? I'm not trying to defend anything here
I'm just saying I think/believe that reality is different for each and everyone one of us

your eyes still see the exact same thing, even though you may not be able to specifically recognize it

No, you cannot. Reality exists completely independant of us or our minds. I suppose you could say that any given perception of reality exists only in our minds, since our minds interpret reality for us.

Chairs and tables don't exist in anyone's mind. What exists in the mind are concepts of chairs and tables, which should not be confused with what they are; concepts of. The concept of X is one thing, but X is another thing. So I think that the view that reality exists only in the mind is a hypothesis, but a false hypothesis, since it confuses concepts with what the concepts are of.

You're saying that because you can't be 100 percent sure if everyone see's the same thing that it is therefor not likely that they do. Which is false. More then likely I see whatever everyone else see.s

My son

well I don't think I said it isn't likely, if I did well then I said wrong, it is very likely that there is only one reality only problem is there isn't a 100% prove of that which leaves the matter open to believe and I believe that everyone lives in a different reality

Somebody needs to invent reality, because it doesnt exist at the moment.

Reality could be different to every single one of us. It definately ties in with perception.

For example, if I sit next to a guy and say to him "What does that road sign look like?" and he says "Triangular and red", is he saying that because it's actually what he sees or is he saying that because that's the only way my brain knows how to perceive it when he is infact seeing something completely different? Maybe each of our realities are different and the only reason we haven't touched on it is because our inability to perceive other realities so we only hear what we can.

-AC

Reality cannot exist.
Things keep changing all the time, so if no one thing lasts forever, then nothing is really there.
Also, quantum physics tells us that NOTHING is absolutely certain.
Therefore, nothing can be absolutely real.
:/

"Reality is an illusion created by a lack of alcohol."
NF Simpson.

No really how can you define it....

Reality is a set of electrical impulses in our brain. This is why we can hallucinations or be fooled by optical illusion.

No it's not......Try again....

Originally posted by debbiejo
No it's not......Try again....

You and your outward flowing.

What a person thinks to be reality is not. You have to learn that there is more (real) to the universe. However, most of it is in a direction I can't point. Yes, the nothingness.

Reality in everyday usage means everything that exists. The term Reality, in its most liberal sense, includes everything that is, whether or not it is observable, accessible or understandable by science, philosophy, theology or any other system of analysis. Reality in this sense may include both being and nothingness, whereas existence is often restricted to being.

It is also an album by David Bowie, released in 2003

What's a reality for one, may not be for the next person...though the situation could be identical....perception maybe?....Not physical.

Reality is whatever is not unreal to reality...

So reality is subjective...

Reality is...relative...

Our reality is how we percieve it, as for true reality... beats me...thats what we have been trying to find out throughout our history.

Originally posted by Great Vengeance
Reality is...relative...

Our reality is how we percieve it, as for true reality... beats me...thats what we have been trying to find out throughout our history.

To know that you don't know is the beginning of knowledge.

Originally posted by Storm

Chairs and tables don't exist in anyone's mind. What exists in the mind are concepts of chairs and tables, which should not be confused with what they are; concepts of. The concept of X is one thing, but X is another thing. So I think that the view that reality exists only in the mind is a hypothesis, but a false hypothesis, since it confuses concepts with what the concepts are of.

"To know that you don't know is the beginning of knowledge." Socrates

How do you know that actual things (x) and the concept of (x) are two distinct entities? A concept of something and the subject of the concept is the same thing as opposite proof is not possible. Storm, you merely ride on the philosophical ideas of the philosophers of teaching material commonly in circulation. Why don't you think about things for yourself? One is no philosopher if one only utter the words of previous philosophers.

There has never been real proof or compelling reason to believe that there are real-world objects distinguished from the concepts about them. We don't have any proof, so the most we can humbly say is that we have concepts.

Can reality be proved?

Originally posted by debbiejo
Can reality be proved?
Yes, I just did, didn't you see it?

Not on this end.....must be your own reality.....OH, yeah....that reality check bounced.....hahahahaha

Originally posted by debbiejo
Not on this end.....must be your own reality.....OH, yeah....that reality check bounced.....hahahahaha

Rubber reality?

Rubber room reality.

Originally posted by debbiejo
Rubber room reality.

Reality rubbers?

You mean like galoshes/boots...to keep the rain off?

Originally posted by debbiejo
You mean like galoshes/boots...to keep the rain off?

NO you silly girl.

OH...........Aren't those called raincoats?

Originally posted by debbiejo
OH...........Aren't those called raincoats?

Did you really not get my sexual reference?

One of my multiple personalities did, but the other one said....NO!

Originally posted by debbiejo
One of my multiple personalities did, but the other one said....NO!

Really?

Is that you Shaky?....bark twice if yes......

Originally posted by debbiejo
Is that you Shaky?....bark twice if yes......

Arff, arff.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
To know that you don't know is the beginning of knowledge.

Gee well I guess Ive started on the path of knowledge then.

Oh that's simple.
Reality has something to do with houses... and estates......dosen't it?

although I'm sure some where some one in this form has already said it, "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one" thank you Einstein, I'm sure our limited perception and comprehension hinders our abilities there of, were too dumb to see the real so we fill in the blanks; kind of like reading, if you keep the first and last letter the same and jumble the rest your still able to read the word

Reality is the illusion WE THINK we're stuck in..........Not necessarily true though.

Originally posted by Storm
What is reality?

The true nature of reality can never fully be known. The more we discover the more questions will appear. It is like a fractal image that never ends.

It's also possibilities.

Originally posted by debbiejo
It's also possibilities.


I don't understand.

Reality is what we are aware of, not aware of and can never be aware of.

jerry

Yeah, the possibilities......

Originally posted by debbiejo
Yeah, the possibilities......

Or in your case, lack there of. jk

cry

That's not how I look at it.......

Originally posted by Storm
What is reality?


A pain in the ass

Reality is simply what you believe and you could be one of many terribly wrong.

concrete reality is something that is percieved by 5 senses. by more than 1 person. because sometimes schitzophrenia distorts reality of 1 man. so it has to be percieved by more than 1 man.

philosophically speaking. reality is what you do about percieving things using 5 senses. (we call this experiences)

Reality is things that are real by definition. To distinguish whether something is real or not is debatable. However, to say something exists or not, is dependant on you. You decide what's existing and not. You decide.

reality as it is now can only be described in a consensus type form, all people would need to be asked a controlled question, then plot on a graph (an extremely large one mind you) and a line of best fit drawn,

NOW I KNOW this wouldnt be an exact reality because more and less would be added and subtracted, however this would be the most comfortable because it would present a concrete conclusion for people to base their beliefs off of.

this in turn would cease to be reality in a mere second because life would be introduced into the world as the chart was completed, thusfully ruling out the reality that all were looking at, and therefore there would be no reality

reality= a time sink for the mind to wrap itself into

Reality is everything that exists...fantasy exists in our imaginations, and our imaginations are part of our mind, so they can be easily percieved as reality as well.

Reality is not always what we make of it. Some of us are blind to reality and see it the way we choose 2.