Philosophy Now Forum

PeteJ wrote: ↑Mon Jun 24, 2019 12:40 pm The idea that physics studies Reality contradicts its definition. It has nothing to say about the nature of Reality other than that it includes the appearance of subjects and objects. It doesn't even study space-time in depth, a topic dictionaries usually list as metaphysical.

Skepdick wrote: ↑Mon Jun 24, 2019 1:36 pm That's why you shouldn't trust dictionaries. They don't get updated very often.

PeteJ wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2019 4:42 pm They're still worth reading.

Skepdick wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2019 4:44 pm

PeteJ wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2019 4:42 pm They're still worth reading.

Of course. So is Hustler.

Depending on your objective.

PeteJ wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 1:02 pm The sensible thing to do would be to ignore your posts. But I'm intrigued. What brings you ta a philosophy forum?

PeteJ wrote: ↑Mon Jun 24, 2019 12:40 pm

Skepdick wrote: ↑Mon Jun 24, 2019 11:49 am Close your eyes! Imagine things. Imagine a unicorn. Imagine something nobody has ever imagined before!
Remember your fondest childhood memories. Remember that delicious meal you had last week.

That's Metaphysics. That's "The Construct".

What a strange idea. The dictionary is the place to discover what metaphysics is. Why do you think it is anything other than what the dictionary says it is?

Bahman sums up the situation when he notes that if physics is a field of study which describes reality then there is no room left for metaphysics. Physics studies a small part of Reality, the part that appears to our physical senses. This is why we have something called philosophy. The idea that physics studies Reality contradicts its definition. It has nothing to say about the nature of Reality other than that it includes the appearance of subjects and objects. It doesn't even study space-time in depth, a topic dictionaries usually list as metaphysical.

bahman wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 7:19 pm I don't know anything which exists and does not appear to my physical senses and instruments. Something which exist and does not appear to our physical senses and instruments. What it could be? I don't if one can provide an argument in favor or against it's existence.

Reality is all there is, the way it is, whether or not anyone is conscious of or knows the nature of that reality. There are two aspects of reality that make it knowable. The first aspect that makes reality knowable is the physical nature of reality which is all that can be directly perceived, that is, seen, heard, tasted, smelled, and felt. It is physical attributes that are perceived. The second aspect of reality that makes it knowable are those attributes of reality that make perception of it possible, life, consciousness, and the unique consciousness of the human mind.

These three attributes of reality are in addition to the physical attributes in that very small number of entities called organisms. Life, consciousness, and human minds do not exist independently of the organisms they are the life, consciousness, or minds of. These attributes exist only in physical entities (organisms), but they are not physical attributes because they cannot be directly perceived (seen, heard, tasted, smelled, or felt). They are perfectly natural attributes (not supernatural) just as the physical attributes are, and do not conflict in any way with the physical attributes.

[Though we cannot directly perceive our life, or consciousness, or even our minds, we know we are conscious because we are. We know it in the same way we know we can see, not by seeing our seeing (or hearing, feeling, smelling or tasting it), but by seeing.]

RCSaunders wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 7:47 pm

bahman wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 7:19 pm I don't know anything which exists and does not appear to my physical senses and instruments. Something which exist and does not appear to our physical senses and instruments. What it could be? I don't if one can provide an argument in favor or against it's existence.

I agree that no entity exists that cannot be perceived directly or with instruments, but there are three attributes of organisms, life, consciousness, and human minds, that cannot be directly perceived, because they are not physical attributes.

From the article "Ultimate Reality" on this forum:

Reality is all there is, the way it is, whether or not anyone is conscious of or knows the nature of that reality. There are two aspects of reality that make it knowable. The first aspect that makes reality knowable is the physical nature of reality which is all that can be directly perceived, that is, seen, heard, tasted, smelled, and felt. It is physical attributes that are perceived. The second aspect of reality that makes it knowable are those attributes of reality that make perception of it possible, life, consciousness, and the unique consciousness of the human mind.

These three attributes of reality are in addition to the physical attributes in that very small number of entities called organisms. Life, consciousness, and human minds do not exist independently of the organisms they are the life, consciousness, or minds of. These attributes exist only in physical entities (organisms), but they are not physical attributes because they cannot be directly perceived (seen, heard, tasted, smelled, or felt). They are perfectly natural attributes (not supernatural) just as the physical attributes are, and do not conflict in any way with the physical attributes.

[Though we cannot directly perceive our life, or consciousness, or even our minds, we know we are conscious because we are. We know it in the same way we know we can see, not by seeing our seeing (or hearing, feeling, smelling or tasting it), but by seeing.]