Why do you believe the way you do?

[Willamena]

Yes, but one will be a more accurate reflection of actuality (truth) than the other.

What is this actuality? How do we measure it in order to compare our models of reality to it and label them "less than actuality" or "closer to actuality"? We don't; we can't. We can only compare to each other's models, but that's a different thing. Can any of us say, "Hey, your model of the universe is wrong and the collective consensus is right"? That's how flat earths get made.

Each of us operates within the paradigm or model that we construct to understand reality. I can say, "Yours doesn't match mine," but then that's true of lots of things about us, and it's very often a good thing. (You wouldn't want to have my nose.) There is no "right" or "wrong" paradigm, they each do exactly what they're supposed to: represent reality to one person as that person knows it. And they can change with new information, new concepts, new perspectives and new understanding.

 

[PureX]

What is this actuality? How do we measure it in order to compare our models of reality to it and label them "less than actuality" or "closer to actuality"?

This is what logic and experimentation is for. Haven't you ever discovered that your idea of some aspect of reality was wrong, and that actual reality was different from what you'd thought? And doesn't that teach you that if you could have been wrong about that one aspect of reality, that you could be wrong about others? And has not life borne that suspicion out?

And that being understood, doesn't this lead you to conclude that actual reality is not the same as your idea of reality, even though you do not know at this moment just exactly how your idea is wrong?

My point is that we are not living in a sea of equally viable paradigms, here. Our paradigms are reflections of actual existence, and actual existence can be used to test our conceptual idea of it. That's what science is. That's what logic is. These are methodologies we can use to pit our idea of reality against reality itself, to some small degree, so as to recognize discrepancies. Not discrepancies between our paradigm and someone else, but between our paradigm and actual existence.

 

[Willamena]

This is what logic and experimentation is for. Haven't you ever discovered that your idea of some aspect of reality was wrong, and that actual reality was different from what you'd thought?

Actually, I did discover that one of my ideas of reality was faulty, the one I called "objective reality." I amended my idea accordingly with new information I had, and with an appropriate (and rather pretty) cascade effect a whole lot of things made a lot more sense. My paradigm shifted, just a little (to the left, I think): what I now thought of reality was different than what I had thought before.

Everything that I've experienced has been incorporated into and became a part of my paradigm, my model of reality, so I can't say that "actual reality was different from what I'd thought." I can only say what I thought.

And doesn't that teach you that if you could have been wrong about that one aspect of reality, that you could be wrong about others? And has not life borne that suspicion out?

And that being understood, doesn't this lead you to conclude that actual reality is not the same as your idea of reality, even though you do not know at this moment just exactly how your idea is wrong?

This is what I can conclude: with new information, the way I see the world changes, just a little... most times to the left.

My point is that we are not living in a sea of equally viable paradigms, here. Our paradigms are reflections of actual existence, and actual existence can be used to test our conceptual idea of it. That's what science is. That's what logic is. These are methodologies we can use to pit our idea of reality against reality itself, to some small degree, so as to recognize discrepancies. Not discrepancies between our paradigm and someone else, but between our paradigm and actual existence.

I see it a bit differently. Science provides us with information; logic manipulates information to put it in order, to make good sense. Neither is a measure of "actual reality" against which we can compare the information science provides or the proofs logic gives to say, "Hey, you know this one is closer."

"Actual reality" is what we're building with the information we get and manipulate. It's really no more than that picture of reality we each/all have and we're filling it the pieces, like a jigsaw that will never end.

 

[Willamena]

I just refuse to go to this fantasyland where conceptual paradigms become their own realities. I understand that this is how we experience them, because we are "within" them, but I also understand that they are only reflections of an actual reality that we do not control nor create.

We'll bring you over to the dark side, yet, young Jedi.
:sw:

 

[PureX]

Not as long as I possess the power of WHAT IS, dark night!

 

[doppelganger]

Not as long as I possess the power of WHAT IS, dark night!

Or the power of WHAT I IMAGINE IS anyway.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Not as long as I possess the power of WHAT IS, dark night!

Is "What may as well be" a power as well?

 

[PureX]

Is "What may as well be" a power as well?

It's an imaginary power. *smile*

 

[vos]

nothing is true in this world. Read religious and occultic stuff and you get the below.....


Bipolar from the below is true:

Some have low intensity (can cure), others have absolute intensity (maybe can cure). Some have super scary intensity of bipolar (cannot cure) that will scare your balls out to the death.

1. In truth, bipolar? No that much, in fact one are inflicted with much invisible forces from the other side. Some know, some do not know. Some know and keep mum. All of us have the duty to speak up about the voice. Deep down only oneself will know......Too much occult activities in the past? New age jumbo mambo, palmistry? astrology? iching, rune? tarot perhaps????? Even religion.

[Bad temper, always talking about occults, religion, no mundane life, not interested in secular life, life destroyed, still talking about bipolar….. everyday talking about this. traits of people with bipolar ]


2. Ever engaged in spiritual battles with someone one didn’t like to the point of …... Ever had intuition or psychic powers??? These are all evil sensations. People are still meditating, doing yoga etc, thinking it’s beneficial. Chakras opening up is all one gets, not enlightenment. Get ready to hear VOICES then if one wants enlightenment. One thing in their capacity is they pull down your pants and tell the whole world about your past misdeeds! Warning!!!!!