What Is Reality?
by socrates44San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
Jul 2013 2,734 Views
What is reality? Is it strictly the world based on sense-experience as perceived through the medium of the physical senses? How justified is this claim? Socially-accepted concepts of sense-experience reality arise when there is common agreement by society on the interpretation of sense-experience phenomena. Such interpretations may result in the postulation of the so-called scientific laws of nature. Yet, these interpretations are just "interpretations". One never knows when some brilliant person will come along and show that some aspect of our present socially-accepted interpretation of sense-experience phenomena is no longer valid and propose some other interpretation in its place. This indeed is the history of science in which several scientific laws and theories have undergone modification and even rejection in some cases. When can we ever say that we know things as they are? Or perhaps more important, can we really know that we know things as they are? What really is the criterion for reality?
If something can be measured, whether directly or indirectly, is it real? According to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, if energy has to be added to or taken away from a system to implement the measuring process as is generally the case, then this energy causes a change in the variable to be measured so that the value of the variable is no longer what it was before the attempt was made to measure it. In other words, the measuring process itself generally introduces an error into the measurement. For the measurement of macroscopic values, the energy changes due to the measuring process is negligible and the error may be ignored. However, for the measurement of microscopic values, the Uncertainty Principle becomes critical and a substantial error may be introduced into the measurement.
For example, suppose we wish to measure the position of an electrode. Consider a microscope powerful enough to make the electron detectable to the human eye. To perform the measurement, it is necessary to illuminate the electron with an intense source of light. Because of the extremely minute mass of the electron, the energy imparted by the source of light is of sufficient magnitude to cause a noticeable displacement in the electron's position, so that it would no longer be in the position in which it was prior to prior to the illumination; nevertheless, such illumination is necessary for the measuring process. This same effect occurs in all measuring processes in which energy is added to or taken away from a system as is generally the case. Thus, it seems that even the ability of measurement to define reality is questionable since the very act of measurement itself introduces an error, human or otherwise, into the measurement to be made.
A closer examination of the various aspects of socially-accepted concepts of sense-experience reality mentioned above reveals the presence of two basic underlying factors: reliance upon the experience of the physical senses and the use of Aristotelian logic. This logic is used in an attempt to extend the range of physical sense-experience through speculation to areas where techniques are not yet available to enable actual physical sense-experience. Essentially therefore, the socially-accepted concepts of sense-experience reality mentioned may be considered to be based almost exclusively on physical sense-experience, either directly or indirectly.
By its very nature, Aristotelian logic must necessarily view a unified whole as fragmentary parts, make observations about these parts and then attempt to link these observations and thereby obtain an explanation of the whole. The accuracy of the explanation arrived at is dependent not only on the accuracy of the observations, which are themselves limited in their accuracy due to physical sense limitations, but also upon whether all properties of the fragments have been observed. It may be impossible for us to ever know whether or not all properties of the fragments have been observed since it appears that the more we widen the range of our physical sense experience through scientific research, technology, etc., the more we realize how much there is yet unknown. Thus unless we can be 100% certain that we have accurately observed all the properties of all the fragmentary parts of a unified whole, and it seems unlikely that we can ever be, we can never really be certain that a conclusion based on the process of logical reasoning is accurate.
The past and the present illustrate the above-stated fact only too well. In many cases, our scientific experts deduced logically through the data available at that time, that certain chemicals and processes were harmless to humanity and assured us of their safety, Yet, today, we are faced with the tragic effects of certain medically prescribed drugs which have actually damaged the health of persons who used them, environmental pollution and other ugly monsters that humankind has created.
Perhaps, the most delicate and certainly the most important area of which the individual seeks an understanding to some extent, which may vary from person to person, is that of his/her being which includes the mind in relation to his/her existence where the term mind is viewed as the capacity for thought or mental activity. Most people, if not all, at some time, seek to understand themselves or this mental activity through which they can define an identity of their own, with a view towards finding some meaning or purpose in their existence. Philosophy itself, seeks an answer to this question on a broader basis. Remember the dictum of Socrates: "Know Thyself" and his famous statement: "The unexamined life is not worth living".
The method of approach used towards the attainment of such an understanding is generally the observation of one's thoughts, feelings, desires, etc., in addition to one's behaviour, and the subsequent attempt to find some logical interrelation between these factors on the basis of which a 'sensible' deduction can be made. The above-stated factors may be considered to be subjective knowledge i.e. knowledge of the effects of the mind. Perhaps the stated description of a general method of approach may not be very exact, seeing that each individual decides his/her method of approach. Yet, it appears that in most cases, strong emphasis is placed on the use of logical reasoning applied to subjective knowledge. As is commonly stated, most people try to make sense, i.e. logical sense, of it all. However, this raises the question: Is it possible for the human mind to arrive at and to know that it has arrived at a true and complete understanding of itself through the process of logical reasoning, seeing that it can only acquire subjective of itself, i.e. knowledge of its effects? This is very unlikely.
In order to obtain objective knowledge of itself, i.e. direct knowledge of the causes responsible for its effects, mind would have to break itself up into fragments and then make observations about these fragments thereby acquiring direct knowledge about the causes of its effects, This obviously would be impossible for mind would no longer exist, seeing that now, there would only be fragments of mind and not mind as a whole to make the observations about its fragments.
It is difficult for an open-minded person, especially if he/she has a scientific background, to deny that the claims of the socially-accepted concepts of sense-experience reality are open to question, Yet, very few people are willing to give serious consideration to seeking other perspectives of reality. Perhaps the main reason for this is the very powerful factor of social conditioning or socialization coupled with the need to avoid a feeling of aloneness in one's existence.
Social conditioning is necessary for the existence of a society, otherwise there will be chaos and confusion. Nevertheless, it tends to rob an individual of some measure of his/her individuality, giving in return a certain degree of social security which has a vital role in helping the individual to overcome a feeling of aloneness in his/her existence. This social security may be defined as a sense of belonging and recognition within the society. The actual amounts taken and given by the social conditioning process vary with different individuals.
The few who realize the shortcomings of the socially-accepted concepts of sense-experience reality and who dare to seek new perspectives of reality are faced head-on with the question: Is it possible that one can experience some form of reality in life which transcends human sense-experience and the process of logical reasoning, since these factors necessarily give a distorted view of reality? What do you think?
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