Nozick's Theory Of False Reality

When discussing reality, several questions emerge regarding what reality is. A reality, "the real situation that exist," (Merriam-Webster.com) consists of two forms-perceived reality and actual reality. One spends his or her entire life trying to decipher the difference between the two forms; yet to truly understand reality, it is essential that you comprehend both. Plato 's "Allegory of the Cave," Dick Gregory 's "Shame" and Frederick Douglass ' "Learning to Read and Write" illustrate examples of both perceptions. Furthermore, how conceptualization of reality helps establish who one will become.

In the fictional story A Brain in a Vat, John Pollock argues the idea that people are not actually living beings, that brains are in a vat connected to a computer making a person feel as though they are alive doing things they normally would do in daily life. A person would never recognize they are not living, because the computer is making the person feel as though they are. The idea of a brain in a vat seems implausible, but being a brain in a vat cannot be ruled out, because there is no way of knowing if it is false. The questionable argument of humans just being brains in a vat can be seen as Modus Tollens:

Rather, the solipsist can attach no meaning to the supposition that there could be thoughts, experiences, and emotions other than his own” (Thornton). This states that a solipsist doesn’t necessarily believe only he or she exists, although it’s possible. More precisely, the person is able to acknowledge that others’ thoughts, emotions, etc. may exist, however he or she can’t find real proof that anyone but him or herself subsists. Concisely, a true solipsist comprehends, for example, the word “pain” as “my pain.” The person cannot perceive how this word is to be applied in any sense other than this exclusively egocentric one (Thornton). Although there has yet to be a person who has considered him or herself a solipsist, there is a type of person who could be thought of as one: a child.

Have you ever thought you heard something, but there was nothing there? Have you ever thought you saw someone in the corner of your eye, and when you looked there was no person there? When we look down from a high building on people, do they appear small like ants? Aren't there thousands of occasions when we do misperceive? What is reality and perception? Mainstream science describes reality as "the state of things as they actually exist". So reality is simply: everything we observe. Perception is the process by which organisms interpret and organize sensation to produce a meaningful experience of the world (sapdesignguild.org np). I believe people should base some decisions

People seem to think that everything that happens to them everyday is real. The question is, though, “What is real?”. Is everything you see everyday really real or is it fake? We might see fantasies that other people or machines have created for us. Maybe we are the ones that are not enlightened yet. Numerous essays and films have been produced on this subject. One essay is “The Allegory of the Cave” written by Plato in 360 B.C. Also, the movie The Matrix was filmed in 1999. Even though many differences can be drawn between “The Allegory of the Cave” and The Matrix, there are many similarities as well.

Having read the synopsis from The Matrix, the excerpt from Plato, The Republic, Book VII, 514A1-518D8 “The Allegory Of The Cave”, and the excerpt from Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, 1641 “Meditation I Of The Things Of Which We May Doubt”, I am able to conclude that there are similarities as well as differences among these readings. Each question the state of reality in which we live. Is our reality a true state of reality or is it a state of mind we have allowed ourselves to exist in?

According to Academic Skepticism theres a flaw in our very basic sense of understanding and observing the univere.They said that our senses of vision ,touch cannot be trusted completely .For eg if we are hearing to a voice (familiar)are we sure that its of friend ,it is possible that he

Have you ever questioned the nature of your reality? Questioned if you are completely able to see from the outside looking in? Philosopher Plato, presents his view of reality through an allegory to explain the concept, and how we gain knowledge of our reality. Two other philosophers that I will mention both touch base with their description of reality and how it relates to Plato’s conception. All three of these philosophers believe knowledge is attainable through acts of realization and simple knowledge, and each philosopher presents his/her main point of reality through different ways of attaining it. I will further mention the relevance of Plato’s theory in today’s world and why I believe it to be valuable.

Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" presents a vision of humans as slaves chained in front of a fire observing the shadows of things on the cave wall in front of them. The shadows are the only "reality" the slaves know. Plato argues that there is a basic flaw in how we humans mistake our limited perceptions as reality, truth and goodness. The allegory reveals how that flaw affects our education, our spirituality and our politics.

In John Pollack’s A Brain in a Vat, Pollack poses a question about the integrity of the belief that the reality every human being experiences is in fact, real. After the narrator goes through a very disturbing situation and presented a potentially harsh truth about the validity of his opinion of what he considers reality does Pollack present the same argument to the reader. A Brain in a Vat presents a skeptical argument on whether or not the reality every human being experiences is in fact, real, not just a laid out plan that every human being goes through the motions of to complete. The only supportive evidence offered by Pollack in A Brain in a Vat is “…how could I [ the narrator] tell” whether or not an outside force generates reality because

In broader terms, Reality is the state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or might be imagined. In a wider definition, reality includes everything that is and has been, whether or not it is observable or comprehensible. A still broader definition includes everything that has existed, exists, or will exist. Reality can be defined in a way that links it to world views or parts of them (conceptual frameworks): Reality is the totality of all things, structures (actual and conceptual), events (past and present) and phenomena, whether observable or not. It is what a world view (whether it be based on individual or shared human experience) ultimately attempts to describe or map.

George R.R. Martin, an American novelist and short-story writer, once said, “Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.” In other words, one is unique to their reality; this reality is not universal, it lingers on with one’s existence. As humans, we use our reality as a way to interact and thrive in life; it is our sword and shield that fights back at all of life’s misfortunes. With George R.R. Martin’s aid, one can begin to gain perspective on their life, and how this reality has come to be. Moreover, the philosophical publications, Plato’s Five Dialogues, Descartes’ Meditation and Other Metaphysical Writings, and then Nozick’s The Experience Machine guided the idea of reality to a new degree of certainty. The essence of reality exists because the proof of objects and a god are real, arguments from these sources provide evidence that god is real and that reality exists. Corresponding to these stories, one can begin the journey of comprehending that reality is truly exclusive to one’s being.

According to Plato, the shadows inside the cave are “illusion”. Buddha’s first expression of enlightment was “all is illusion” .All Buddhist practices aimed at disabusing a person of their illusions. Presently Buddhism teaches to pierce through the two veils of illusion, which are conflicting emotions and false beliefs about reality. Everything is illusion in this world. According to Advaita school of Vedanta, Brahman is the only reality; the appearance of dualities and differences in this world is a superimposition on Brahman, called Maya.  Maya is the illusionary and creative aspect of Brahman. Advaita accepts Plato’s view on reality. Everything inside the cave is shadows and are false realities. These are temporary. Likewise everything in this world is illusion and is temporary.

The second philosopher that analyses the problem of what is reality and what is not in the Introduction to Philosophy textbook is Christopher Grau. Grau, in his essay, expands on Descartes idea of the “evil demon” by basing it off of The Matrix with his theory, The Brain in a Vat Theory. The theory is just like it sounds. Just like in Total Recall, an extremely intelligent device has the ability to give humans and gives them a false reality of a life. What Grau is purposing is that we, as people, could quite possibly be hooked up to a super computer and given false memories and experiences as well.

When we look at this approach to our existence we must first deny that any sensory data that we receive is