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qar
February 2009 
What is real to you?
Posted on Jul 16th, 2007
by 
yarculdragonlord
yarculdragonlord
This is in Response to the Questions and Reflections for July 12, 2007:
Reality is one of the most interesting quests upon which I have ever embarked. There are so many visions of what the 'world' is like, what 'humans' are like, what 'reality' is like. However, they often conflict. In the search for reality one must first explore the idea of an objetive truth or and objective point of reference.
As a student of Critical Theory, especially Structuralism, I find myself looking to the nature of communication and experience to explore reality. Ferdinand de Saussaure (sic) was convinced that reality itself exists, as a definable construct, because we can communicate it in some fashion. Without language and abstract thought, reality is quite literally a mass of random and inconceivable perceptions, no more and no less.
Rather than focus on this objective fraqme of reference, however, I have come to a place where I ask the question of agreement. Reality is the point of intersection betwen one's own perceptions and the perceptions of th 'other' in the world. This intersection is the place in which we can communicate, and it seems to reside more in the realm of behavior and ethics than in the physical. Wars do not get started over th wrong colour for red. They exist as a result of disagreements over human interaction and needs.
Therefore, for me, reality is an ethical conundrum. I see 'love' as the ultimate reality. It seems to be one tf the few areas agreed upon throughout the ages by the greatest and most gifted thinkers, philosophers, mystics and poets. However, given that, how does one define this overused and underunderstood concept. Is it an emotional response? Is it a set of pheremones that force the body to perceive the 'other' in a certain way?
My answer to these questions is a resounding no!! Love is an action or a call to action. define love as "When I desire for you what you truly desire for yourself. When the 'other's' wellbeing and happiness is equal to my own wellbeing and happiness." This is a tall definintion with numerous social and interpersonal requirements. One must define 'need', 'desire', 'true desire', 'happiness', 'other.'
Reality,in my opinion, is an objective concept, but it is this by virtue of looking through the lens of the largest possible frame of reference.
As a student of Critical Theory, especially Structuralism, I find myself looking to the nature of communication and experience to explore reality. Ferdinand de Saussaure (sic) was convinced that reality itself exists, as a definable construct, because we can communicate it in some fashion. Without language and abstract thought, reality is quite literally a mass of random and inconceivable perceptions, no more and no less.
Rather than focus on this objective fraqme of reference, however, I have come to a place where I ask the question of agreement. Reality is the point of intersection betwen one's own perceptions and the perceptions of th 'other' in the world. This intersection is the place in which we can communicate, and it seems to reside more in the realm of behavior and ethics than in the physical. Wars do not get started over th wrong colour for red. They exist as a result of disagreements over human interaction and needs.
Therefore, for me, reality is an ethical conundrum. I see 'love' as the ultimate reality. It seems to be one tf the few areas agreed upon throughout the ages by the greatest and most gifted thinkers, philosophers, mystics and poets. However, given that, how does one define this overused and underunderstood concept. Is it an emotional response? Is it a set of pheremones that force the body to perceive the 'other' in a certain way?
My answer to these questions is a resounding no!! Love is an action or a call to action. define love as "When I desire for you what you truly desire for yourself. When the 'other's' wellbeing and happiness is equal to my own wellbeing and happiness." This is a tall definintion with numerous social and interpersonal requirements. One must define 'need', 'desire', 'true desire', 'happiness', 'other.'
Reality,in my opinion, is an objective concept, but it is this by virtue of looking through the lens of the largest possible frame of reference.
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