thought provoking philosophical questions about reality
25 Thought-provoking Philosophical Questions About Reality
Reality! What is it about this concept that raises so many questions in our mind? This Buzzle post ponders on 25 thought-provoking philosophical questions on reality. Think you have the answers?
"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."
Indeed we do, don't we? Our judgments are clouded by our perceptions; being human, our perceptions take shape from what we've gone through and what we've learned from it. Thus, is it possible to just shake off those abilities in order to get to the depth of reality? There's some food for thought.
Since time immemorial, man's quest for reality has led him to create the world as we see it―a world which has luxuries and comforts, war and instability, and yes, religion and philosophy as well. So, what is reality, really?
A couple of the definitions of reality are,
Something that exists independently of ideas concerning it.
Or
Something that exists independently of all other things and from which all other things derive.
Philosophers have often pushed the need to separate reality from perceived thoughts, contrasting it with anything that is imaginary or is a product of our delusions. Reality, at all times, remains unchanged and infallible in the face of perceived notions. With a concept that is so sublime, we can't help but raise a lot of questions. So, here they are.
― Anaïs Nin
Deep Questions About Reality
Can true reality only be experienced in a physical realm? For instance, do people with limited physical senses (sight/smell/touch/hearing/taste) have a hindered understanding of reality?
Do bad people exist? Or are they just good people making mistakes?
Are there general principles governing physical, biological, and psychological transformation? Or are these changes completely random?
Is the appearance of life likely or inevitable?
Going by the notion 'anything which begins must end', does our universe have a beginning? If so, would it be right to call it eternal?
Can the universe be infinitely big?
Is there any way to be absolutely sure about something?
What does a realistic dream mean?
How does one discern between a dream and reality?
Can we ever be sure that our perception of things is right? Is consulting others a good way to determine this?
Should we blindly accept reality just because it is independent of preconceived notions?
How much control do you really have over yourself?
How to differentiate between good or bad, when in reality, it all depends on your perspective?
If something isn't real, does it mean it is necessarily false or fictional?
Is reality open to alterations?
Is the reality of the world different from how we perceive and experience it in our minds? Does physical reality exist apart from the human mind?
When something changes or transforms, does it retain its real identity?
Can consciousness (or ideas) exist without the body, outside the physical world?
Can pure thought have an impact on physical reality (or vice versa)?
Is there anything other than physical reality?
Does everything that happens have to have a cause?
Is everything that happens predetermined? Is there free will?
Can science discover the ultimate nature of realty? Can pure reason (or even intuition) tell us anything about the ultimate nature of reality?
If reality is the product of reasoning and logic, aren't these two methods flawed, since they have been developed by ideas and knowledge?
And finally, is there anything that is actually real? Since there are theories propagating that everything we know could just be imaginary.