Philosophy of Reality

Reality is a multifaceted concept which is more than just what we see or experience. It consists of different layers, from objective facts to subjective interpretations. This guide explores the various dimensions of reality and how they influence our understanding of the world.

REALITY

Definition:

• 1) A thing that is actually experienced, not just imagined, or
• 2) The way life really is, not the way it may appear to be or how you would like it to be.

MODEL

• The model has 4 layers:
  • 1 : Objective Reality
  • 2 : Perceptual Reality
  • 3 : Subjective Reality
  • 4 : Consensual Reality

OBJECTIVE REALITY

• Reality that is described in math, physics.
• We do not observe this reality, but it always exists around us.
• In human senses, some common examples are smelling, looking, hearing.
• E.g., Protons, Neutrons, gravity, Thermodynamics.

PERCEPTUAL REALITY

• It is the level of reality where neuroscience & psychology make sense of reality.
• Philosophy of Plato (The Platonic theory of forms), Plato’s allegory of the cave –> All these fundamentals are described at the level of perception or at the level that you can perceive.
• Evolutionary theory (by ~ Donald Hoffman):
  • He says evolution never tells you the whole reality; instead, it only tells you the functional reality, so that you can survive.
  • He says that whenever we see icons like Instagram, Facebook, these icons are not actually apps; they are representations of the app.
  • Similarly, the 5 senses of humans are representations of reality, not the actual reality.
• Hence, the difference between Objective reality and Perceptual reality is like the difference between Instagram icons and the Instagram app.
• This perceptual input is generally very cognitive (mental activities) overwhelming –> Orientation filter (when you understand reality beyond perceptual sense).
• In this reality, the orientation filter allows you to interpret the raw data of perceptual reality.

SUBJECTIVE REALITY

• Every human being mostly lives in this reality.
• In this reality, the orientation filter allows you to interpret the raw data of perceptual reality and make sense of it using a story, using an orientation, using judgments.
• For example -> If you are in a completely white room with no objects, you’ll either sit at the corner of the room or at the center of the room (because your taste is associated with corner & center but not the awkward middle position between corner & center).
• Hence, you build various micro-associations with this raw data, and when many of these micro-associations stack up together, they lead to stories.
• This is the level where you have a perspective on reality.
  • E.g., People go outside & seek perspectives & advice from others.
• Hence, there is a filter of the ‘value’ on each of your perspectives.
  • So, every time you have any problem statement, evaluate the value/association related to it.
  • For instance, if you have a problem statement: “I used to love this girl but she left me..”
    • 1) If ‘value’ is associated with her existence with you, then it is bad.
    • 2) If ‘value’ is associated with your mental peace/well-being, then it is great that she left you.
    • 3) If ‘value’ is associated with your career, parents, goals, then there is no such effect of her on you. In short, you don’t care.
• In subjective reality, all stories exist, hence all perspectives, advice, self-help, and spirituality also exist here. All mental frameworks, all masturbatory content exist here.
• This is the level where we live most of the time. Notice that you have a constant ongoing story of yourself in which you’re the hero.
• In Hindu culture, this is said to be ‘Maya.’
• In Buddhist culture, this is said to be ‘Nothingness.’

CONSENSUAL REALITY

• There is a constant process of negotiation between the subjectivities of each other (or intersubjectivity or consensual reality). This is the level we agree upon & act on it.
• For example, politics:
  • Prakhar thinks that Donald Trump should be the next President, on the other hand, Sandeep thinks that Biden should be the next president. As a result, the personality who has more votes will be the winner, and now civilians have to agree on the result regardless.
  • This is where advertising moves, money moves, power moves; this is where attention moves.
• We come to our consensus in our subjectivities & we decide that this is the reality we should agree upon, and it is at this level that we have to behave, act, & perform.
  • For example : In Prakhar’s mind, social media is bullshit, but in a creator’s mind, social media is the way to generate money. So, the consensual reality is that social media is used to generate money; hence Prakhar is pointless, and now the creator is dominant.
• This is where all red-pill metaphors exist, matrix (Andrew Tate), no-fap.

PLACING ITEMS OF YOUR REALITY

1. Self-Help : It moves you from perceptual reality to subjective reality.
2. Meditative Spirituality : From subjective reality to perceptual reality.
3. Politics : Subjective reality to perceptual reality (It asks you to interpret society from the view of power in a specific way).
4. Psychology & Neuroscience : From Objective reality to perceptual reality (raw perceptual data).
5. Trauma : Subjective reality to perceptual reality. Always stuck between subjective reality. (Unconscious process).
6. Psychedelics : It always moves from subjective reality to perceptual reality but eventually comes back to subjective reality.
7. AR & VR (Augmented & Virtual Reality) : Already exists in different dimensions.

• 2D reality in 2D space : Instagram/Twitter
• 3D reality in 2D space : PUBG/COD/FORTNITE
• 3D reality in 3D space : Apple Glasses (Oculus)

Conclusion

Reality is a complex construct involving multiple layers of perception and understanding. By exploring the different dimensions of reality—from objective facts to consensual agreements—we can gain a deeper insight into how we perceive and interact with the world.

References

The Philosophy of Reality

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