Cambio de Philosophy Numero Uno: There is an objective reality

by phil on Friday May 19, 2006 1:37 PM

Previously I believed in a subjective reality. I always felt that humans only have access to their own perceptions. All that he senses is all that there is right? If he feels bad, isn't the universe then bad? When he dies, doesn't the universe die? "Cogito Ergo Sum; I think, therefore I am" can be translated as "all that exists (ergoes) is the sum of my cogitos.

However, a counter-argument is that our perceptions aren't lying to us. That our existence depends on our survivability, which requires an accurate ability to sense and comprehend reality. Yes our perception plays tricks on us, but by the very fact of our existence, our perception has to be fairly reliable. This then dignifies the existence of Others which we percieve to be human like us. They see the world that we don't see, and that world is real. Our individual perspective is just a minor interpretation of that reality.

The search for truth is noble and not impossible.