How do we know something is true/real?

Answer 1

I've often heard the "perception makes reality" argument. I've theorized another step in there. Perception shapes Belief and Belief defines your Reality. Notice I said "your" reality. Since personal beliefs define reality, I would argue no two people share precisely the same beliefs in the same strength, so all realities are different. The world is what each person believes it to be.

Consider the allegory of Plato's cave. The reality of the people chained in the cave is limited to what they perceive, namely rock, shadow, and themselves. For them, nothing else exists or could exist. If they could be lead out of the cave, they would gain a thoroughly new perspective of the world. This perspective would change their beliefs, probably painfully. With different beliefs comes a new reality.

I'd say something is real if you believe it to be. I'm Atheist, but this is one of the reasons I'd never tell a Christian his God isn't real. The God IS real and valid to him, but not to me. I couldn't rightly tell him his reality is incorrect. His reality is defined by his beliefs, not mine.

Lack of belief can extinguish an objects existence. But if it's seen again, perception rebuilds the belief and the object exists again. Could a truth be a perceived situtation that agrees with your current reality framework? If perception conflicts somewhat with belief, it's false. If the conflict is strong enough, there could be a paradigm shift and a new reality formed.

Answer 2

First there has to be a good definition of true and/or real. Then that which satisfies the definition is true or real. By tradition something is true if it can be proven or if it is generally accepted by a population without regard to proof. Gravity is accepted though it is impossible to prove in scientific circles or by scientific principles. Real has another idea to it. It can be an idea. My ideas are real without regard to being true. That is what makes a good fantasy. It is meaningful in its context. Outside of imagination, fantasy does not exist. Real is more about perceptions of reality than reality itself. If you perceive it, then it is real to you. If no one else perceives it, then your sanity is in question. That is the customary definition. There are other definitions. It also depends upon how technical you want to be. Do you want to "fight" over choice of words? Do you want to consider the meaning behind the words?

Answer 3

When EVERYONE agrees something is true/real.

Because if EVERYONE agrees something is true/real, then there is obviously no one to disagree with it.

However, in saying that, it also has to be known and accepted that EVERYONE has to continue to remain open to change because sometime in the future the truth can change, eg; EVERYONE once believed the earth to be flat, the sun revolved around earth, we could never fly, etc.

Answer 4

There is no way to prove the actuallity of an object. As Decarte said, "I think, therefore, I am." Everything maybe just your imagination.

Answer 5

if someone tells me that the world is illusive it would be really hard to see, so then one takes is backwards but it is when that language and philosophy make us belive in anything

Answer 6

try to integrate it into all of you knowledge.
if it agrees then it may be true

Answer 7

all knowledge is tentative.. but science is by far the best forum for possibilities