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DReaver13
23rd August 2004, 10:18
Do most people agree with my metaphysics?

True reality exists; however it could be one of many realities. The core rules which are apparent within this reality could change, but by our understanding this is very unlikely.

The individual is part of (a) reality; however, the individual's perceived 'image' of reality is separate from reality itself, though it is a result of this reality. Perceived reality exists only as thought patterns in one's brain (neurological activity) i.e. visual images, smells, tastes, sounds and physical feelings.

Reality, as one perceives it, has a multitude of rules or laws (e.g. that of gravity) and one presumes the nature of these rules through experiencing them via evidence, which allows one to understand general causality within their reality. "If A happens, B is the result" ; and this will presumably happen every time. The same cause will have the same result each time it is performed. These are still only assumptions derived from one's perception / interpretation. It should be noted that true causality requires all the variables to be the same, and since this is impossible unless you can stop time and move atoms into previous position, then causality is not an accurate measure, just a general equation on which to base predictions concerning one's wider image reality.

However, "true" reality cannot be proven. Sensory perception and / or its subsequent interpretation may be wrong, making one's image of reality 'distorted'. In one's mind, this reality is the only reality, whether it is distorted, perfectly coherent with external reality, or totally skewed. We cannot prove the nature of this 'true reality', we can however believe in its existence, for it must exist for our consciousness to exist at all. The only axiom is that (at least one) true reality does exist, and that it directly or indirectly is detectable by our sensory organs.

ComradeRed
24th August 2004, 08:55
Gee, that's like reading rand all over again. I'd hate to break it to you, but its impossible to prove the existence of an objective reality.

Purple
24th August 2004, 08:59
the problem with philosophy is to know where to pull your basic from

ComradeRed
24th August 2004, 09:01
I think Redstar2000 said it best:

Philosophy...what crap!
That's going too far...but not by much. Once in a while, they "guessed right"...but mostly they guessed wrong and usually badly wrong. See the quote that was posted.

It looks to me like philosophy is "needle in a haystack" country. Both real history and real science seem to me to be far more informative...and thus interesting.

DReaver13
24th August 2004, 16:47
I'd say my metaphysics were far removed from those of Rand. I believe that SOMETHING exists, but we cannot know what that something is. There may be objective facts, there also may not be, we can't know. We have to trust our senses which may be wrong. We have to trust our brain's interpretation which may be wrong. I didn't say that A is A, but I believe that there is at least an A.

Trissy
26th August 2004, 13:19
The problem with Metaphysics is that it has little relevance to the modern world at all. I remember reading somewhere that Nietzsche compared it to the usefulness of knowing the chemical formula of water to a drowning sailor. How does knowing what objective reality is ever benifit the individual? All they can ever experience is a reality made up of phenomena. Any metaphysical system bothers me because I fail to see how it can be of use to the individual...all I see in the Metaphysician is someone who wishes to have their own thoughts classified as the 'correct' thoughts. Metaphysics as a branch of philosophy has little attraction because it fails to make any impact on the bigger problems facing us...namely how to live! It doesn't touch on the bigger problems thay the individual may face such as whether to have an abortion or not, or whether to join the army, etc.

Refering to your own metaphysics then I'd say that it was plausible although I personally don't think humans can ever gain knowledge of what objective facts are. I think reality is one of many things that people take for granted although I don't mean that as a criticism of them because to find no answer to doubting ones own existence leads us into the abyss of nihilism.

DReaver13
26th August 2004, 14:49
Refering to your own metaphysics then I'd say that it was plausible although I personally don't think humans can ever gain knowledge of what objective facts are.
That is more or less what my metaphyics say; humans can never know what true reality is because we only know what we perceive, and we don't know if that is correct.