Is Reality an Illusion ?

Discussion in 'Serious Discussion' started by R29k, Feb 12, 2016.

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Is Reality an Illusion ?

  1. Yes

    26 vote(s)
    47.3%
  2. No

    19 vote(s)
    34.5%
  3. Don't Know

    10 vote(s)
    18.2%
  1. R29k

    R29k MDL GLaDOS

    Feb 13, 2011
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    #1 R29k, Feb 12, 2016
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2017
    When you consider the absolute weirdness of Quantum Mechanics and the phenomena of wave function collapse. It really makes you question how real is this reality we experience. There is a nice documentary that summarizes a lot of ideas. Would be very interested to hear opinions on this topic.

    Nice article



    The original video was removed from youtube for some reason, I replaced it with this one !



     
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  2. CHEF-KOCH

    CHEF-KOCH MDL Expert

    Jan 7, 2008
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    #2 CHEF-KOCH, Feb 23, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2016
    Isn't it funny that such simple question(s) are mostly very complex? :eek:
     
  3. kaljukass

    kaljukass MDL Guru

    Nov 26, 2012
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    Poll: Is Reality an Illusion ? It is fantastic question.
    Is reality and illusion now re-defined and acquired a new meaning?
    And if, then when and where it happened. Haven't heard nothing.
     
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  4. ausernamenoonehas

    ausernamenoonehas MDL Member

    Aug 2, 2015
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    Reality isn't an illusion, it is a subset of a much larger reality beyond our dimensional awareness.
     
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  5. LiteOS

    LiteOS Windowizer

    Mar 7, 2014
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    mb or mb the Reality we see is not the true Reality, the true Reality in our self
     
  6. Immortal_Wombat

    Immortal_Wombat MDL Novice

    Feb 24, 2016
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    Reality is what surrounds us whether there is anything beyond it or not. Reality is the unbroken absoluteness of everything from the very smallest to the very largest, whether finite or infinite, it's all real.

    What matters is what matters to us. The only thing that makes anything matter is how it affects those who experience it. We are the only thing that differentiates objects or phenomena into discrete concepts like "planet" or "green", the perceiver defines the resolution of reality, without a perceiver things like time, distance, mass are all meaningless.
     
  7. R29k

    R29k MDL GLaDOS

    Feb 13, 2011
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    So if it's a microcosm then where do the layers end ?
     
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  8. joeyjoey

    joeyjoey MDL Novice

    Feb 25, 2016
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    quantum physics is fascinating. ill try to watch the vid when i get time
     
  9. ausernamenoonehas

    ausernamenoonehas MDL Member

    Aug 2, 2015
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    First you must quantify if it is indeed a microcosm ....
     
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  10. JFKI

    JFKI MDL Expert

    Oct 25, 2015
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    Before the end of the macrocosm, which is uncomprehendably large. ;)
     
  11. R29k

    R29k MDL GLaDOS

    Feb 13, 2011
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    Well from your description and your use of the word "subset".

    Would be hilarious if the Maya illusion was real, but when you wake up you end up in another illusion.
     
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  12. ausernamenoonehas

    ausernamenoonehas MDL Member

    Aug 2, 2015
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    I see where your coming from but I meant larger in a dimensional sense. Our "plain of existence" consists of three dimensions plus time which are measurable.

    Ever had a dream you wake up from, only to find your still dreaming? I haven't, but I've heard stories of people who have, so I guess that would be very much like the Maya Illusion in a way. Kinda creeps me out ...
     
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  13. JFKI

    JFKI MDL Expert

    Oct 25, 2015
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    Yes.

    Me too, especially when I am several "layers" deep in sleep.
    Thankfully that does not happen often.... Or does it ?
     
  14. sid_16

    sid_16 MDL Giveaway Organiser

    Oct 15, 2011
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    At a very basic level, "measuring a particle makes its wave-function collapse" because conservation of energy demands it, that is sometimes referred to as the 'Born rule' after the physicist Max Born. So the idea of collapse is not justified by the foundations of QM, it is actually part of the foundations.

    The Born rule says something to the effect of: With any measurement you can make there is associated a unique mathematical function called an operator, that has associated with it a range of mathematical objects called eigenvectors that correspond to some of the possible states of the system, and associated to each eigenvector is a unique real number called an eigenvalue corresponding to possible results you might get from your measurement. When you make the measurement, the system state changes to be a state that corresponds to one of the eigenvectors, and the result you get from your measurement will be the eigenvalue associated with that eigenvector.

    A subatomic particle in flight has many potential values for position and momentum, each with a certain probability. This probability density is represented by the wave function.

    However, when the particle interacts with a detector (e.g striking a silver nitrate molecule on a photographic plate, or a silicon atom in a CCD detector, for example), there is an actual position and actual momentum which acts on the detector (e.g to decompose the silver nitrate molecule, or kick an electron into the conduction band, in this example). This interaction uses the energy represented by the wave function.

    You cannot have both the actual energy dissipated in the detector, and retain the potential energy represented by the wave function - which could then strike a different part of the detector and cause changes there too. Conservation of energy forbids it.

    Therefore, interaction of the wave function with an observer/detector causes the wave function to collapse.
     
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  15. sid_16

    sid_16 MDL Giveaway Organiser

    Oct 15, 2011
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    Truth/Reality is absolute. It is our perception of truth which is subjective.
    Absolute (philosophy)
    The Absolute is the concept of an unconditional reality which transcends limited, conditional, everyday existence. It is sometimes used as an alternate term for "God" or "the Divine", especially, but by no means exclusively, by those who feel that the term "God" lends itself too easily to anthropomorphic presumptions. The concept of The Absolute may or may not (depending on one's specific doctrine) possess discrete will, intelligence, awareness or even a personal nature. It is sometimes conceived of as the source through which all being emanates. It contrasts with finite things, considered individually, and known collectively as the relative. As such, the word "Absolute" signifies a negative concept: non-relative, non-comparative, or without relation to anything else. This is reflected in its Latin origin absolūtus which means "loosened from" or "unattached."

    We perceive the outside world with our 5 senses. And by now we know to some extent how our senses work. Our senses can only sense certain parameters of the environment and create a feeling in the mind in response to the sensory input. What we sense and feel and what is outside are not same.

    For example when we observe the bursting of a cracker we see a flash and hear an explosion. But in reality the cracker produced only some high energy photons and air waves. The flash and the sound are what we feel in our mind when our brain/ body system processes those inputs. So our observation of the flash and sound are subjective products of an entirely different input. If we further analyze those waves we find they are composed of more complex things.

    Such, being the case how can we say, what we observe are absolute truths? Our observations can only be the subjective interpretations of certain aspects of the universe.
     
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  16. moon510

    moon510 MDL Junior Member

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    #16 moon510, Feb 26, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2016
    Our perception of reality is illusory. All that we deal with is our ideas about things. anything from the outside that we see , touch or hear becomes an idea in our mind, and we take the idea for reality and it is just a replica of the real. It's tricky to catch our mind "creating" its reality. TThat which is happening during our waking state is no different from what happens while dreaming in sleep. Mind is doing its thing all the time.
     
  17. zen45

    zen45 MDL Addicted

    Feb 25, 2010
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    we are climbing a ladder, where the ladder began who knows ? we live we die we don't remember the past but we imagine the future ! with each generation we advance in knowledge we go further and faster into the future with what goal to see god or to become gods :mushy:
     
  18. Is Reality an Illusion ... then I would be Neo (The Matrix) ;)

    Only me satoshin!
     
  19. R29k

    R29k MDL GLaDOS

    Feb 13, 2011
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    Never played a 4x game have you ?
     
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  20. Muerto

    Muerto MDL Debugger

    Mar 7, 2012
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    #20 Muerto, Mar 2, 2016
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2021
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