do you believe life is an illusion?

Nothing is real...

 

Nah I don't think life is an illusion. That's some "Matrix" bullshit people take too seriously.
There are obviously life changing events that are an illusion caused by the people in charge.

 

no, nothing, except for you.....

 

You can't prove that...

 

Seriously, I think computer life is an illusion, but the beings laying in front of me still panting from their exercise a little are very real.

 

I perceive life by what society tells me is real and not real, or at least my interpretation of what society tells me is real or not real. But, I'm aware that reality is an illusion created by others' misinterpretations of the five senses and beyond.

I read the experts and it's nice to expose myself to that knowledge, but society has a powerful influence on us, so I figured following society would be my best chance to my survival. And at the end of the day, I'm not here to figure out whether or not life is an illusion. I'm all for the greats... past, present, and future that will have an impact to this life, but I'm not one of them and I don't care to be one of them. I'm just here to survive life and get out as fast as I can, leaving the least amount of impact on my part.

 

i think what we see of reality is merely a very skewed sliver of actual reality.

 

It is a lot more complex than Matrix bullshit. Philosophers have debated this subject for centuries. Science has trouble with it as well-----for example, it is very possible that our minds create the three dimensions of physical reality, and that the universe is actually a large hologram-----that reality is a flat plane rather than 3-dimensional space. If such is the case, we could argue that reality is not exactly an illusion, but our perception of reality is definitely an illusion. Nonetheless, science has arguments for reality itself as an illusion too.

 

it really depends on where you want to draw the dividing line.
In reality the only thing we actually experience are electro-chemical impulses and reactions within our nervous systems that we interpret to represent the "outside world".
so in that sense, yes it is an illusion.

 

Yes---that is right-----that is the one thing that Philosophers can agree on, even if they disagree on how they agree on it.

 

The entire universe could be emulated in a computer program down to the subatomic quantum level. It would be impossible to prove. I don't think we would have a real physical body outside of the program like in the matrix though, we would just be part of the program.

Perhaps this is a result of future scientists modeling the universe with ever increasing g accuracy in an attempt to understand it. With enough accuracy and complexity it becomes it's own reality as it contains all the information about the universe. Of course the computer emulation could be programmed for whatever properties and physical laws that you wanted. The operator could also have godlike powers over this universe, hacking the code to cause effects that should be impossible according to the laws it's programmed to follow, but since it's a computer it could be checked to make sure the hack would have no side effects that could ever be observed and proved to violate the laws of physics by any past present or future observer that would ever exist in the system to observe the effect.

 

The question is---how would the subjective exist in such an objective reality? It is only the subjective consciousness that could be truly self-aware. The objective consciousness would merely have a programmed self-awareness---an abstract version of consciousness.

the bodies in the movie, The Matrix, house the subjective minds of the humans. Perhaps it is only the subjective mind that can be fooled into believing in the illusion. But then, when you provide a subjective consciousness into the picture, inevitably you get irrationality.

An argument could be made that an objective programmed consciousness could be tricked into believing it is self-aware. If we then apply this to the real world it boils down to a question of whether or not there is free-will and existential freedom.

 

Our perception of reality is a simulation not a creation. It might be helpful to say that perception is malleable but I think it confusing to say there is no reality.

 

I like this distinction, perhaps clarity as to the degree of illusion we are talking about would be helpful. I'd rely on the Cartesian "I think therefore I am" philosophy as an argument that life cannot be fully illusory but perhaps some aspects of it may be.

The simulation notions of reality are interesting but I feel they only work as metaphor. Computers weren't even a common part of the vernacular as little as a century ago, So these notions of "Matrix" like computer simulations or perhaps "Truman Show" television simulations of reality only work to a certain extent imo.

 

When I say perception is a simulation I mean we perceive image or likeness. We see reflected light or hear concussive vibration and interpret the signals.

 

We are experiencing that, even if you use something which we may say 'simulates' a function such as seeing (I.e. contacts/glasses) or hearing (I.e. hearing aid) It's really more emulating those functions as it is incorporated into the dynamic processess of Interaction with body, brain and enviornment.

 

Good point---I made that mistake----but I will continue to answer in regards to reality because I think a lot of people have made that mistake.

I think that life (and again, I am referring to the subjective as I wrote about in my last post) is the most real thing that we have. Again, as guerillabedlam pointed out---Descartes First Principal (I think therefore I am) is a good example of that.

 

making the distinction between "life" and "reality"......

they are not even comparable.

What most are terming "life" is their experiences/perceptions and subsequent reactions and interactions based on those experiences/perceptions.
In that sense it is synonymous with reality.

but in actuality life is an inexplicable force, the motivator, the prime directive, the mover, shaker and maker.
It is what drives the creative principle in the universe and is constantly in flux and evolving.
It permeates all that we have thus far experienced and is the force that affords us the opportunity of experience and perception.

Our conception of reality and what comprises "real" will always be evolving and changing and through it all life will just

 

I agree NG---though it won't let me give you a positive rep---the site says I have to spread it around more before I can give you one again.

 

We are experiencing that process, the interpretation of our nervous systems response to stimulus.

I'm not saying we simulate function. The function of consciousness is finding direction. I am saying images that we see are interpretive reproductions of what is there. They may consist of little detail in the case of aversion, a kind of blinded apprehension to much in the case of endearment or profound interest.