Perceived reality is still a reality

I often read members bring up the point that good and evil are a false perception that varies from one individual to the next. They say it doesn't actually exist in objective reality, and often become quite vocal in their ridicule of those that make reference to the terms good and evil. This may very well be the case, but the mere fact that good and evil are perceived to exist gives rise to a legitimate claim that they are valid categories to label experiences. What is true reality anyway? In the absence of any definitive reality, perceived reality carries just as much weight as the many other forms of reality that people inhabit.

I have an acquaintance that is bi-polar that has a tendency to voluntarily go off his meds. In one of our discussions about him not taking his meds, he told me that the "reality" he faces when off his meds is easier to deal with than the "reality" that he fights when he is on them. Off the meds, things are clearer to him, the world is more vibrant and he sees the rest of the world on a "hampster wheel of life" while he is "actually living life".

One person's reality may be the completely opposite another person's reality. Think of two people in the woods at night at the same time.

One person may be loving the sound of the night creatures stirring, the temperatures lowering compared to the daytime temp and the difference of smells in the air.

The other person is scared of an impending animal attack precipitated by a drop in ambient temperatures, so something bad must be going to happen, right?

Alternate perceptions have always fascinated me.

JDub

Originally posted by mytym What is true reality anyway? In the absence of any definitive reality, perceived reality carries just as much weight as the many other forms of reality that people inhabit.

Hmmm...interesting point, mytym. Off the top of my head, here's my take on it...

Look at nature and observe the way in which the predator acts without conscience. The tiger takes a young child with the same relish as it would a deer past its prime.

No hangups, no remorse...just a happy meal. *snicker*

Humans, as a rule, consider circumstance, ramifications, the notion of 'humane slaughtering' and controlled hunts. We sink ethics into every facet of our own predatory nature.

This tendency of people, while it varies the further back in our time we go, has always played a part in how we relate to nature.

In other words, we always were considerate of our actions.

I think you're right when you say that our "perceived reality carries as much weight" as objective reality. It's what defines a social human.

I can't speak for sociopaths, though... they lack the ability to care.
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i was just today having a convo with a co-worker about who decides what is sane and insane. Everyones reality differs. I believe there is so much more to the human mind than we could ever imagine. As for good and evil- my wife and I have this fight all the time. I am 100% not religious but I believe in good and evil. But, I also believe these are just words and there meaning to me could be completly different than there meaning to you. It has always made me wonder how laws and rules can be past by people (we are supposed to respect to make the right choices) who constantly disprespect those laws and rules. (I m not trying to make this political it is just my example). I'am trying to illustrate that the human mind is flawed in all aspects. Who corrects the teacher? If something is outside the collective norm is that wrong? or different?

Who's to say the color I percive as blue in your eye's could be red. But we both call it blue? and no one could tell what the difference was?

We only use a small portion of our potential but I fear our ego's will take over and all will be repeated.

Sorry there's a lot in there. I'm in a meeting right now and a 104 year old man is half way through his 3 hour long speech and my minds drifting on this topic...

It doesn't really pain me to say this. You are all incorrect.
Explanation:
Most of you have preceived that folks see things differently. This much is true.

Most of you are confusing what you erroniously refer to as reality with perception.

A simple and easily understood example is the classical Nepolian syndrome. It is possible to believe that you are Nepolian, by that I mean, believe with all your being that you are he.

Beliving doesn't make something true. Obviously you are NOT Nepolian, for some very good reasons. Firstly, you are...you. Secondly, Napolian has been dead for some time and you, while a patient at some psychiatric facility, are alive (although you may be unaware of this fact)!

We have a word which adequately describes the condition when someone does not precieve reality; it is delusion.

So your perception, whatever it may be and no matter how many millions you can get to agree with you, if not realistic...is delusional and therefore not real!

It might be a good idea to build your vocabulary so that you might be able to better express your understanding of reality and not confuse it with perception. Another good reason for this is that most of the time our perception is not accurate and therefore not correct. This includes almost everything you now think you know.

Glad I could help. (If you actually think that I believe that I actually helped anyone by pointing this reality out...think again. I am not delusionala and therefore know that most people can't be bothered with the facts.

sayswho (skep by any other name).

I understand what you are saying, and I agree... kinda.

Doesn't my perception of my life make it my reality? I may think I am Napolean, and the doctors treating me will say that is my perception, but if I believe it, isn't that my reality, that I am Napolean?

And yes, I understand that I am really "me" and Napolean was himself.

JDub

sayswho:
You are erroneously confusing the term reality with perceived reality. Everyone else has understood this but you. Believing something may not make it true, but it quite often causes you to perceive it to be so, which is the point everyone else has made here. It might be a good idea for you to correctly understand the material presented before attempting to educate everyone else here where they have gone astray.

If 'something' (be it a physical object, a thought, an illusion, a concept, whatever) is perceivable to anyone or anything, it obviously exists.

If 'something' (be it a physical object, a thought, an illusion, a concept, whatever) has a been given a name or a label then it obviously has been/is perceived to exist and therefore does exist.

The nature of its existence can be debated an perceived in different ways but the reality of its existence is evident simply by the fact that it can be perceived, let alone be given a name or label and be discussed and debated.

[edit on 1-6-2006 by point]

yep good thread, on the good evil thing. i have never seen any argument that explains why good and evil are not absolutes. i believe that good and evil are absolutes.
on the thread issue all comes down to the meaning of the two words, reality and perception like someone else said.
whether reality is constant for all of us on this earth, as being part of a collective and perception being how each individual percieves that reality.

[edit on 1-6-2006 by andy1033]

i like the way you think mytm. mabye reality is the world around us. which gives rise to interaction and experience over time. holding time in our hearts we endure, which makes us the people we are. perhaps fear is evil, and hope...

Who knows, in addition to perception constituting a possibile reality, it may very well be the only reality that exists?

the only reality that has, is, and always will be, is NOW, and that's FOR EVER.

even as you sit and think about "realities" you don't see that it is just a voice in your head talking about an idea that is just brain activity/thought. the only reality is me sitting here, typing, breathing, watching. and you, sitting, breathing, reading. it is so obvious, but we don't see it. when we were young, we were "in" reality all the time. that is, in our body and walking around, using our senses to live in real-time. but now, you and i live in a world of thought and concepts and problems and solutions. all mind activity.

what if this is a computer simulation?

www.simulation-argument.com...

we can't tell. how can we tell?

if a tree falls in the forest, and there is no animal/human around to hear it, does it make a sound? of course not!

en.wikipedia.org...

all i know of this "real world" out there has been created by information through our senses. all thoughts are based on this information, and cannot be perceived as "truth" or the ultimate "reality" because of this. to know is to know that the only thing you know is that you know no thing.

stop. and remember what this life used to be like. a wonder. thank you.



[edit on 26-6-2008 by actuallynothing]

[edit on 26-6-2008 by actuallynothing]

[edit on 26-6-2008 by actuallynothing]

Perception is reality, sayswho would you have called some one years ago when they thought the world was flat that it was round delusional????


Like i posted elsewhere the only reality is you and your being.