Do you believe in reality?

[Baldurn]

Originally Posted by KUBINY

I got a work that i have to do to school. I need to make a social study, and the theme i chose was: "Do people believe in reality?"
I need to ask at least 30 people in total and i want 10 of those to be EU players, as participants in a Virtual Universe might have a specific view on this. Ill give you 5 questions, and i want YES, NO or I DONT KNOW answers (for nitpickers, i didnt make a poll coz i need to ask more questions and didnt want to spam polls).
The questiond are:
1) Do you believe in reality? (not very tricky, i know)
2) If not, do you believe You exist?
3) If you do believe in reality, do you think you have proofs of your existence?
4) If you dont know whether you believe or not, have you ever tought about the question?
5) If you dont believe in reality, are you still afraid of death?

Thanks a bunch! please answer quickly! ...and please number the answers according to the questions...

My contribution:
1) Yes.
2) -
3) Is this filosophy ? lol :P My proof is that I am alive, breathing, eating ;p
Ofcourse you could always question what ' existence ' means, but that I am alive is proof enough for me :>
4) -
5) :O

[Joser]

*sigh* Time to put my two pecs in.

1) Do you believe in reality? (not very tricky, i know)
2) If not, do you believe You exist?
3) If you do believe in reality, do you think you have proofs of your existence?
4) If you dont know whether you believe or not, have you ever tought about the question?
5) If you dont believe in reality, are you still afraid of death?

1) Yes. The problem is that MY reality is masked behind MY veil of perception.

2) Yes. I don't know exactly what form I exist in, but I know that I do exist because I'm a thinking being.

3) Kant clarified Descartes' statement best. "I think therefore I am." I don't know what exists outside of my veil of perception, but I do know that I exist.

4) believe in what?

5) BMW said it best there. Since I exist (though I don't know in what form) I am afraid of non-existance.

[KUBINY]

thank you all very much! now i have enough answers from "virtual beings", but answer and discuss on if you please, i love to see the topic develop. I can see that many here take what Descartes said very seriously. But remember - he was only man and he would be wrong. If you believe what he says, you could be wrong as well. Anybody and everything could be wrong!

*runs and hides under the blanket*

yeah, and ill post the teachers reply to my work, just so that you all know if your contribution was any good
though... its gonna take some time, coz this work is a long term one

[Mikah]

Originally Posted by KUBINY

The questiond are:
1) Do you believe in reality? (not very tricky, i know)
2) If not, do you believe You exist?
3) If you do believe in reality, do you think you have proofs of your existence?
4) If you dont know whether you believe or not, have you ever tought about the question?
5) If you dont believe in reality, are you still afraid of death?

Hmm interesting questions here...

1. Yes and No: My personal belief is that there are different realms of realities (physical and metaphysical for example) and there are stages of realities. Dreaming for example, something that is known when you go into REM (Rapid Eye Movement) for me is considered a different realm or reality, although some people claim that they do not dream, I believe that dreaming is essential for not just physical satisfaction (brain recovering, 'rebooting' and collecting and 'filing' data that was absorbed by the unconcious throughout the day) but also in a way, you become connected in a different web of reality, in where it is possible to interact and even have a state of communication with other beings, both in our physical realm and a metaphysical realm. Of course, this is all theoretical, however something to ponder. Everyone has a different reality, some choose to see one more than others, but I pesonally believe that reality is just a term to explain something we truly cannot comprehend and goes above our current known and 'factual' ideology.... reality can take different forms, depending on the individual.

2. I don't question my existance, I question which realm my existance belongs to. At this stage, I would say I am part of a physical realm, I exist in This realm...but am I still connected to other realities? perhaps, but maybe Im not 100% attuned to the other reality, therefore my comprehension is here, in the physical realm, where I can touch, feel, eat, see, hear...

3. I cannot prove my reality, but others can prove my existance. You see, every interaction I have with others, causes a ripple effect. Cause and Effect and I am part of it, its easier to prove my existance than it is to prove my reality. There can be a situation where someone, can physically be in this realm, body, motion... but perhaps the cognitive thought and the actual 'spirit' of that individual is in another realm, take someone that suffers from schizophrenia... one can prove his/her existance for the mere physical body existance, but maybe their reality is completly unlike ours, whatever that reality is. It's much easier to prove an existance, than it is to prove a reality.

4. I've thought about the question, many many times before. And its one that I personally believe cannot be proven under the scrutiny of medical science, but once you cannot prove something under a scientific hypothesis, how do you prove such a thing? These ideas become nothing more than pseudoscience and its often undervalued of no importance. When people realize that there is more than just one realm, our physical realm, then you open yourself to an unlimited amount of thoughts, of realities, of immense possibilities that lie within the cognitive power of each individual once they 'activate' that certain thought process. Unfortunatly, for many 'if you cant prove it, it doesn't exist'- this ideology has been enforced in us as children and conditioned per society... therefore inhibiting further studies on the metaphysical realm, shame really there is so much interesting ideas out there as well as theories that should be given a bit more importance.

5. Im not afraid of Death, I guess my concern is How I Die. I believe that my soul, my actual spirit, will continue to live in perhaps another realm, another reality. Perhaps I will come back later to this physical realm, perhaps there is a destiny to be fulfilled... perhaps not. Either way, I dont think death should be feared or mourned, it should be revered as the moment that persons spirit crosses over to a place beyond our comprehension... I guess we will find out when we die

This is all from my own perspective, from my own reality.. therefore it may not fit someone else's reality, but love the topic so I had to put my own piece of reality here ^^

[Joser]

Originally Posted by Mikah

Hmm interesting questions here...

1. Yes and No: My personal belief is that there are different realms of realities (physical and metaphysical for example) and there are stages of realities. Dreaming for example, something that is known when you go into REM (Rapid Eye Movement) for me is considered a different realm or reality, although some people claim that they do not dream, I believe that dreaming is essential for not just physical satisfaction (brain recovering, 'rebooting' and collecting and 'filing' data that was absorbed by the unconcious throughout the day) but also in a way, you become connected in a different web of reality, in where it is possible to interact and even have a state of communication with other beings, both in our physical realm and a metaphysical realm. Of course, this is all theoretical, however something to ponder. Everyone has a different reality, some choose to see one more than others, but I pesonally believe that reality is just a term to explain something we truly cannot comprehend and goes above our current known and 'factual' ideology.... reality can take different forms, depending on the individual.

2. I don't question my existance, I question which realm my existance belongs to. At this stage, I would say I am part of a physical realm, I exist in This realm...but am I still connected to other realities? perhaps, but maybe Im not 100% attuned to the other reality, therefore my comprehension is here, in the physical realm, where I can touch, feel, eat, see, hear...

3. I cannot prove my reality, but others can prove my existance. You see, every interaction I have with others, causes a ripple effect. Cause and Effect and I am part of it, its easier to prove my existance than it is to prove my reality. There can be a situation where someone, can physically be in this realm, body, motion... but perhaps the cognitive thought and the actual 'spirit' of that individual is in another realm, take someone that suffers from schizophrenia... one can prove his/her existance for the mere physical body existance, but maybe their reality is completly unlike ours, whatever that reality is. It's much easier to prove an existance, than it is to prove a reality.

4. I've thought about the question, many many times before. And its one that I personally believe cannot be proven under the scrutiny of medical science, but once you cannot prove something under a scientific hypothesis, how do you prove such a thing? These ideas become nothing more than pseudoscience and its often undervalued of no importance. When people realize that there is more than just one realm, our physical realm, then you open yourself to an unlimited amount of thoughts, of realities, of immense possibilities that lie within the cognitive power of each individual once they 'activate' that certain thought process. Unfortunatly, for many 'if you cant prove it, it doesn't exist'- this ideology has been enforced in us as children and conditioned per society... therefore inhibiting further studies on the metaphysical realm, shame really there is so much interesting ideas out there as well as theories that should be given a bit more importance.

5. Im not afraid of Death, I guess my concern is How I Die. I believe that my soul, my actual spirit, will continue to live in perhaps another realm, another reality. Perhaps I will come back later to this physical realm, perhaps there is a destiny to be fulfilled... perhaps not. Either way, I dont think death should be feared or mourned, it should be revered as the moment that persons spirit crosses over to a place beyond our comprehension... I guess we will find out when we die

This is all from my own perspective, from my own reality.. therefore it may not fit someone else's reality, but love the topic so I had to put my own piece of reality here ^^

Ok. Anyone else major in philosophy?



I think the hardest thing about philosophy is the argumentative aspect. It's far too easy to find holes in someone else's argument, and, essentially, rip their argument to shreds. The hardest thing to do is build your own, solid argument. A perfect argument has yet to be made.

[Mikah]

Originally Posted by Joser

Ok. Anyone else major in philosophy?
I think the hardest thing about philosophy is the argumentative aspect. It's far too easy to find holes in someone else's argument, and, essentially, rip their argument to shreds. The hardest thing to do is build your own, solid argument. A perfect argument has yet to be made.

The beauty about it is, philosophers dont argue, they debate ... I've yet to meet a philosopher who tries to make others believe what they do without questioning, it's not the intention, that job belongs to religious recruitment groups lol.

Philosophy isnt meant to be proven or taken for face value, its supposed to make people think beyond what they believe, its about encouraging thought process... Intelligence is about holding and entertaining different thoughts without accepting them, its good to see things from different views and angles, in order to see a larger picture. The point of philosophy is to encourage questioning, without curiosity, then there would be no questioning, without questioning, you cant grow or learn...

[Joser]

Originally Posted by Mikah

The beauty about it is, philosophers dont argue, they debate ... I've yet to meet a philosopher who tries to make others believe that they do without questioning, it's not the intention, that job belongs to religious recruitment groups lol.

Philosophy isnt meant to be proven or taken for face value, its supposed to make people think beyond what they believe, its about encouraging thought process... Intelligence is about holding and entertaining different thoughts without accepting them, its good to see things from different views and angles, in order to see a larger picture. The point of philosophy is to encourage questioning, without curiosity, then there would be no questioning, without questioning, you cant grow or learn...

I know of the spirit of debate. An argument is formulative. (This is why I love philosophy. We still speak English, but the words mean entirely different things. lmao.) I wasn't using argument as a bad thing. People in debates present their side or their "argument." That's more the context I was trying to use it in.

Of course it's all meant to be thought-provoking. I believe that with everything in me. I think it's just a means of stimulation. At least that's what I use it has. My gf is the one with her bachelor's degree in philosphy. I come from a purely mathematical background. (I can hear her yelling at me that math and all forms of logic stemmed from philosophy.) I usually just enter into debate with her to help me with my logic. I find the different viewpoints exhilirating.

[Mikah]

Originally Posted by Joser

My gf is the one with her bachelor's degree in philosphy. I come from a purely mathematical background. (I can hear her yelling at me that math and all forms of logic stemmed from philosophy.) I usually just enter into debate with her to help me with my logic. I find the different viewpoints exhilirating.

Lol sounds like my relationship too, its great isnt it . Congratulations, a healthy relationship is all about complementing each other, I love debating with my b/f, we can spend hrs going absolutly nowhere just talking, he is a logic based human (as most guys tend to be inclined towards logic), its definetly stimulating and rewarding, to see things from different sides and sometimes agree to disagree.

But I get your point, regarding argument and debate, I guess they mean different things in different realities ^^ (lol), but your right, in a way it is the same thing, comes down to interpretation.

I wonder how Entropia would be viewed as a different form of reality, virtual reality... im still trying to get used to the concept.

[Squee]

1) Do you believe in reality? (not very tricky, i know)
Yes, in some sort of reality....

2) If not, do you believe You exist?
N/A

3) If you do believe in reality, do you think you have proofs of your existence?
Come stand before me, and I'll make you feel I exist Nah, my proof or the proof i think i would have is not shareable with others as its my personal experience of this reality. For all know your all puppets in my reality

4) If you dont know whether you believe or not, have you ever tought about the question?
N/A

5) If you dont believe in reality, are you still afraid of death?
I am only afraid of the way I will die as I will still experience that, what comes after I am not afraid of. Its is inevitable and I will find out if there is anything.. So death is OK but dying is scary. I don't feel very sad if someone dies. Ofcourse I would miss them.

[Aliana]

Originally Posted by KUBINY

I got a work that i have to do to school. I need to make a social study, and the theme i chose was: "Do people believe in reality?"
I need to ask at least 30 people in total and i want 10 of those to be EU players, as participants in a Virtual Universe might have a specific view on this. Ill give you 5 questions, and i want YES, NO or I DONT KNOW answers (for nitpickers, i didnt make a poll coz i need to ask more questions and didnt want to spam polls).
The questiond are:
1) Do you believe in reality? (not very tricky, i know)
2) If not, do you believe You exist?
3) If you do believe in reality, do you think you have proofs of your existence?
4) If you dont know whether you believe or not, have you ever tought about the question?
5) If you dont believe in reality, are you still afraid of death?

Thanks a bunch! please answer quickly! ...and please number the answers according to the questions...

1 No
2 Yes
3 N/A
4 N/A
5 Yes

I believe in my perception of reality and it's quite natural to fear the unknown.

Hugs,
Aliana