How Real is How Real is RealityReality??

Arin KhodaverdiArin KhodaverdiProfessor MarteneyProfessor Marteney

Speech 104Speech 104

May 13, 2010May 13, 2010

It is difficult for one to understand the It is difficult for one to understand the difference between personal realities and difference between personal realities and their environment. their environment.

Cognitions (senses), environment (actual Cognitions (senses), environment (actual surroundings), reality (interpretations), surroundings), reality (interpretations), and perception (process that forms our and perception (process that forms our reality) are key to understanding that reality) are key to understanding that personal realities are strictly personal realities are strictly interpretations of what surrounds us in our interpretations of what surrounds us in our environment. environment.

Realities are not Realities are not realreal……Environment is.Environment is.

A person's reality consists of anything they can perceive the A person's reality consists of anything they can perceive the meanings that are attached. These can be physical objects, meanings that are attached. These can be physical objects, people, and situations. However, every person’s perception is people, and situations. However, every person’s perception is different, therefore, each person’s reality is not the same. different, therefore, each person’s reality is not the same.

Therefore, each person is creating their own world. Therefore, each person is creating their own world.

Their reality exists to them because they are putting it there, Their reality exists to them because they are putting it there, whether they are consciously aware of it or not. They are the whether they are consciously aware of it or not. They are the ones who perceive, see, smell, taste, and decide what their ones who perceive, see, smell, taste, and decide what their reality consists of. reality consists of.

Main Entry: Main Entry: re·al·i·tyre·al·i·ty Pronunciation: \rē-ˈa-lə-tē\Pronunciation: \rē-ˈa-lə-tē\ Function: Function: nounnoun Inflected Form(s): Inflected Form(s): pluralplural

re·al·i·tiesre·al·i·ties

Reality Reality :: the quality or state the quality or state of being realof being real

How do we create our reality? How do we create our reality?

Perception is the process where one Perception is the process where one attaches meaning to what surrounds us attaches meaning to what surrounds us through our senses through selection, through our senses through selection, organization, and interpretation.organization, and interpretation.

Selective Perception is what one decides Selective Perception is what one decides to hear, see, and ultimately believe to be to hear, see, and ultimately believe to be their reality in order to accommodate with their reality in order to accommodate with their personal needs. their personal needs.

We create our own world. We create our own world. People use their culture and People use their culture and

experiences to create their experiences to create their reality and their own world. reality and their own world.

Each language and culture Each language and culture creates a different world for creates a different world for each person, or world each person, or world perception.perception.

Our perception of the Our perception of the world are always world are always

shaped by our shaped by our conceptual schemes.conceptual schemes.

How does one choose what How does one choose what they believe?they believe?

Optical IllusionsOptical Illusions

Our brain takes in cognitions from the Our brain takes in cognitions from the environment to invent a desirable and environment to invent a desirable and believable reality. believable reality.

However, cognitions can also trick our minds However, cognitions can also trick our minds into seeing an illusion. These cognitions into seeing an illusion. These cognitions become distorted in such a way for the brain become distorted in such a way for the brain to again create a reality. to again create a reality.

This can be understood by simply looking at This can be understood by simply looking at an optical illusion. an optical illusion.

Artists that use IllusionsArtists that use Illusions Maurits Cornelis Escher is known for Maurits Cornelis Escher is known for

his famous artworks that challenge the his famous artworks that challenge the mind to see different perspectives at mind to see different perspectives at the same time, and truly make an the same time, and truly make an effort to understand the environment effort to understand the environment as a whole rather than objects in the as a whole rather than objects in the environment. environment.

Maurits Cornelis Escher’s “Three Maurits Cornelis Escher’s “Three Worlds” shows different perspectives Worlds” shows different perspectives and the fact that you don’t initially and the fact that you don’t initially know which way the artwork is meant know which way the artwork is meant to be held. I felt confused since my to be held. I felt confused since my brain was being challenged to see the brain was being challenged to see the different perspectives, and it was different perspectives, and it was being challenged to finally understand being challenged to finally understand and come face to face with false and come face to face with false reality. reality.

Swedish artist Oscar Reutersvard is Swedish artist Oscar Reutersvard is the "father of impossible figures." He the "father of impossible figures." He was the first to deliberately make was the first to deliberately make impossible figures impossible figures

How do we come to know How do we come to know things?things?

Rationalists argued that knowledge is based on reasoning inside our Rationalists argued that knowledge is based on reasoning inside our minds. minds.

Empiricist disagreed saying that all knowledge must come from the Empiricist disagreed saying that all knowledge must come from the senses. senses.

The way we perceive the world is by our sensory apparatus. We The way we perceive the world is by our sensory apparatus. We have concepts and are necessary, but we cannot change them. have concepts and are necessary, but we cannot change them. However, how we conceive the world is shaped by the concepts. However, how we conceive the world is shaped by the concepts. The senses perceive only the surface of things, but reason is able to The senses perceive only the surface of things, but reason is able to grasp the inner core of things.grasp the inner core of things.

We know the world through the changing sensations, but the mind We know the world through the changing sensations, but the mind has to see the world as stable. Our mind is unified, so our has to see the world as stable. Our mind is unified, so our sensations have to be organized as well in order to have knowledge. sensations have to be organized as well in order to have knowledge. Knowledge begins with the senses, but these senses must have a Knowledge begins with the senses, but these senses must have a rational structure. Rationalists and Empiricists must come together. rational structure. Rationalists and Empiricists must come together. You can’t have knowledge without both of these theories working You can’t have knowledge without both of these theories working together. together.

It is important for one not to modify their reality. One must It is important for one not to modify their reality. One must consume their environment, and not let their brain fool consume their environment, and not let their brain fool them into changing the situation into something that is them into changing the situation into something that is more comfortable or appealing. more comfortable or appealing.

One must One must argueargue for their reality, instead of modifying it. for their reality, instead of modifying it.

The EndThe End