I will try to define it:
Something is real when it interacts with us, or affect us in some way. An event that does not have any kind of interaction with our enviroment, in other words, one event that cannot be measured, can be said to be not real.
I´m saying that for something to be real in any sense(psychologically, physically,etc..), its needs to be a measurable thing, it needs to have some influence. For example, if I define a concept which does not correspond to the experience or does not have any influence, in other words, concepts which doesn´t affect the experience, then this same concept is not real. So, "everything" that cannot change anything in our lives are not real.
Originally posted by Atlantis001
I will try to define it:
Something is real when it interacts with us, or affect us in some way. An event that does not have any kind of interaction with our enviroment, in other words, one event that cannot be measured, can be said to be not real.
I´m saying that for something to be real in any sense(psychologically, physically,etc..), its needs to be a measurable thing, it needs to have some influence. For example, if I define a concept which does not correspond to the experience or does not have any influence, in other words, concepts which doesn´t affect the experience, then this same concept is not real. So, "everything" that cannot change anything in our lives are not real.
So, do you consider God as real...?
Scientifically speaking, we can say that only measurable things are real, because if you cannot obtain any evidence to assure the reality of an idea you cannot say that its real. Thats not the act of obtaining evidence that makes something real, but it is the possibility of observation/verification/experience/consciousness of that idea, or simply if that idea has the power to make any difference in our experienced environment.
Actually, there is a philosopher named Karl Popper that created a concept which is the "falsifiability" of an idea. For an idea to be falsifiable, it must be possible in principle to make an observation that would show the proposition to be false, even if that observation has not been made. For example, the proposition "All crows are black" would be falsified by observing one white crow. In other words, he tells that an idea or theory is only scientifically real if it can be tested. But do not think my thoughts are in some way limited, because I´m often making reference to science. After all science studies the universe in many ways, physically, psychologically, biologically, theologically, etc...
But I think the part of my post which says "if you cannot obtain any evidence to assure the reality of an idea you cannot say that its real." resume it all.
Answering the questions:
So, do you consider God as real...?
That depends of what you think God is. If you think God has influence upon our lives or the universe then it is real(the majority of the religions if not all have this point of view), but if for you God does not have any kind of influence on the universe and does not interact with it in any way then its not real. The second God is a totally.. totally.. metaphysical God, and considering it real will not make any difference.
What about something that is so small or so far away that it has no effect on us, is it real or not?A galaxy that is at the far end of the cosmos, is it real?
Thats an interesting question especially in the scientific point of view, its where my point of view of what real is could have some conflicts, and since I study physics at the university I can answer this in a very scientific way(err.. I promise it will be the last time I´d say the word scientific). Actually in the theory of relativity there is a concept called local realism which by assumption states that all objects must objectively have their properties already before these properties are observed. Einstein liked to say that the Moon is "out there" even when no one is observing it. Unfortunately, in quantum physics, quantum objects like atoms, electrons, fotons just only have their properties when they are observed, so some physicists say that a particle like an electron for example, just only EXIST in one place when it is measured(its only real when its measured, before that we can´t say anything).
The same concept explained above applies to anything(like distant galaxies) that is completely isolated and is incapable of being measured or observed. Observe that something which cannot be measured, cannot affect our environment in any way since observation is based on the effects that things does upon the environment.
Sorry because of the long answer but it was needed...
Hi Atlantis001
I am glad you brought up the uncertainty principle. If you had not, I would have. Because we can not measure something, does not mean that it can not be measured in some way unknown to us. Does a photon at rest exist? Or, just what is a quark with a spin of 2?
Here is what I think:
Nothingness is the only thing that is real; everything else is temporal.
No...
People really take that quote of context.
I think therefor I am means you and only you.
When I question if I am here then I know that I am here. You can do the same thing and that would make you know you exist. But it would not make me know if you exist.
That rock for as far as you know could disappear the second you stop thinking about it, stop seeing it stop feeling it. How do you know? you don't. Thats the idea behind that quote. You think therefor you are. Not all that thinks is, and all that does not think is not.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory; "real objects"; "real people; not ghosts"; "a film based on real life"; "a real illness"; "real humility"; "Life is real! Life is earnest!"- Longfellow
real(a): no less than what is stated; worthy of the name; "the real reason"; "real war"; "a real friend"; "a real woman"; "meat and potatoes--I call that a real meal"; "it's time he had a real job"; "it's no penny-ante job--he's making real money"
actual: being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something; "her actual motive"; "a literal solitude like a desert"- G.K.Chesterton; "a genuine dilemma"
not synthetic or spurious; of real or natural origin; "real mink"; "true gold"
not to be taken lightly; "statistics demonstrate that poverty and unemployment are very real problems"; "to the man sleeping regularly in doorways homelessness is real"
possible to be treated as fact; "tangible evidence"; "his brief time as Prime Minister brought few real benefits to the poor"
being value measured in terms of purchasing power; "real prices"; "real income"; "real wages"
substantial: having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary; "the substantial world"; "a mere dream, neither substantial nor practical"; "most ponderous and substantial things"- Shakespeare
(of property) fixed or immovable; "real property consists of land and buildings; real estate"
veridical: coinciding with reality; "perceptual error...has a surprising resemblance to veridical perception"- F.A.Olafson
real number: any rational or irrational number
an old small silver Spanish coin
founded on practical matters; "a recent graduate experiencing the real world for the first time"
very: used as intensifiers; `real' is sometimes used informally for `really'; `rattling' is informal; "she was very gifted"; "he played very well"; "a really enjoyable evening"; "I'm real sorry about it"; "a rattling good yarn"
Originally posted by T.M
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory; "real objects"; "real people; not ghosts"; "a film based on real life"; "a real illness"; "real humility"; "Life is real! Life is earnest!"- Longfellowreal(a): no less than what is stated; worthy of the name; "the real reason"; "real war"; "a real friend"; "a real woman"; "meat and potatoes--I call that a real meal"; "it's time he had a real job"; "it's no penny-ante job--he's making real money"
actual: being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something; "her actual motive"; "a literal solitude like a desert"- G.K.Chesterton; "a genuine dilemma"
not synthetic or spurious; of real or natural origin; "real mink"; "true gold"not to be taken lightly; "statistics demonstrate that poverty and unemployment are very real problems"; "to the man sleeping regularly in doorways homelessness is real"
possible to be treated as fact; "tangible evidence"; "his brief time as Prime Minister brought few real benefits to the poor"
being value measured in terms of purchasing power; "real prices"; "real income"; "real wages"
substantial: having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary; "the substantial world"; "a mere dream, neither substantial nor practical"; "most ponderous and substantial things"- Shakespeare
(of property) fixed or immovable; "real property consists of land and buildings; real estate"veridical: coinciding with reality; "perceptual error...has a surprising resemblance to veridical perception"- F.A.Olafson
real number: any rational or irrational number
an old small silver Spanish coin
founded on practical matters; "a recent graduate experiencing the real world for the first time"
very: used as intensifiers; `real' is sometimes used informally for `really'; `rattling' is informal; "she was very gifted"; "he played very well"; "a really enjoyable evening"; "I'm real sorry about it"; "a rattling good yarn"
Get real 😆
Well, the argument is define real. Since real is already defined as posted before, what's the point? I mean, I could go on and on about how we can't know this, or we can't know that... That's bordering on "Define truth". And since most people can argue we can't know truth, obviously we can't know real either... Meh... I hate work... INterupts my line of thought.
real does not exist. for example, do dragons exist? no, but im sure all of you can tell me what one looks like anyway. real pertains to labelling. if i were to call my dog a dragon, how would people respond? "thats not a real dragon" so dragons must exist then. there is no real or unreal since the world is all interpretted through little electrical signals anyway. if something has the potential to exist, it must be real. thusly, anything your imagination can concieve is real. can you concieve the thought of "real"? no, real can not potentially exist. so, real does not exist.