Instead of quantity surveying, I really should have done philosophy but it’s not that marketable. I’ve never seen a philosophy vacancy advertised in the newspaper: “Philosopher wanted. 20 years of experience.” The interview would be hilarious. “I am over 20 years old and that means I have 20+ years experience. Give me the job!”
Talking about experience, a video on youtube just challenged my notions of reality. And now I have combined all those ideas and formed my own but still the same old sold and resold version of reality purposely to spread the thoughts on the same and maybe inspire a few people to question deeply. Doubt and skepticism are art forms. The only difference might be my language of description- many a time philosophers have argued, sometimes in their heads, on what exactly is reality. Here is my take.
I believe reality is layered and we can only perceive the top layer. We live in the top layer. The top layer is our reality. There is a shrimp which can see colours in the electromagnetic spectrum. That shrimp’s reality, however fact-based it might be, is infinitely different from mine. I wear glasses too as I am short sighted. Suffice to say I cannot be a reliable eyewitness without my glasses and even then… we see the world differently even though our range of reality is bound by the same limitations and rules.
Hypothetically, we are swimming in an ocean of possibilities and what keeps us afloat is reality. Beneath the surface of the ocean are other layers of reality, which can kill us if we are not too careful. I think this is a good example- another is an astronaut in space. An astronaut in space is confined to a small reality in the form of the space suit and oxygen tank. That is far as his reality goes. If he removes the gas mask or suit, he will die. His awareness of the lack of oxygen and possible radioactivity in space is what keeps him alive.
Consciousness- the tree in the middle of the garden of Eden: let me borrow a familiar story for the sake of understanding. What is implied is that ignoring reality is death since reality is what keeps us alive. Away from those extreme scenarios, if the environments change say on land, reality becomes favourable. An astronaut does not need a space suit on earth. An understanding of rules and limitations therefore keeps reality in check and us alive.
Reality is highly reactive.
The rules of reality are subjective depending on how we relate with them. If we go digging through the layers of reality without considering the rules of reality then we put ourselves in danger. That’s exactly what philosophers do! And scientists go even further and look for proofs for different realities. The deaths of Socrates and Jesus are both similar in that they both challenged accepted notions of reality. They explored too much, exposed too much and people got uncomfortable with their contrarian views. But let me refrain from the spiritual before I lose the last person still reading this.
A more scientific example is when Galileo proved in the 1600s that the sun was the centre of the solar system. He was placed under house arrest.These examples prove that people who explore the foundations of reality will be met with a lot of resistance. If we are in a simulation as people like Elon Musk believe, then the person who comes with the irrefutable proof certainly will be silenced. There is no reality without life- truth is the exact opposite. Pure truth exists even beyond the life (or life forms) perceiving it. But humans we have watered down truth through the ages. As I’ve said before, “The mother of truth is belief. Facts are nothing but a foster home for truth.” People will believe any BS and often people edit facts to suit their beliefs and build their “false” truths.
Unreliable Narrator 