How do we know that life isn't just an illusion?

Question

Have you ever seen the movie "the Matrix"? How do we know we're not all living in a matrix?

Answer 1

we don't

Answer 2

I have read a lot of philosophies about this concept. One theory is that the imitation would have small flaws that might be noticeably, like how a computer program might have a small bug that might eventually reveal itself. Therefore, we might know it's an illusion if the laws of Physics don't always work consistently. But there is no guarantee that the program or device that creates this illusion contains a bug.

If this is an illusion, then we know that the real universe is at least as complex as our illusion.

If this is an illusion, and we find a way to escaped into the "real" universe, we would still never know if the "real" universe wasn't another layer to the illusion.

No matter if we are living in an illusion or not, the world we live in is the most real thing that we have. I foresee that in the distant future, many people will wisely choose to live and remain in a Matrix like universe.

Answer 3

I myself was once suffering from this. I thought I was going mad, that everything was pointless, however, I eventually realized something, and I'd just like to point out this out here. Rarely is the issue as complicated as it seems. A lot of the time, all your fears and concerns are symbolic of something else, like when you worry about getting lunch. You aren' treally worrying about getting lunch, you're worrying about starving and that in turn is you worrying about not being able to serve humanity. The same thing applies here. This, what you have posted, is known as solipsism syndrome, the fear of reality being an illusion, however, this is just symbolic of something else: Death. Think about it, with solipsism, you cannot escape it, and you don't know what reality is like. The same applies to death. You cannot escape it and you don't know what it's like after death. Just think about that for a moment.

Answer 4

because life isn't a movie. but if you do think about it life evrything you touch is real, evrything around you has a certain energy, when you touch somthing or interact iwht someone you just know. the matrix was an artifical place, you can feel a cold dead energy. but when yo wake in in the morning a you have a wiff of hope you know that you are in your world.

Answer 5

We don't know but that shouldn't really matter in the end you should just do whatever you want to do. Of course there should be limitations on that to certain degrees. The other thing that I think about is the limitations that a person might place on themselves.

Kind of like their is no spoon.

Answer 6

Walk around and find an old lady with a dress on.

Pull up her dress really high and see what happens.

Come back and tell me if it feels like an illusion to you.

~jaz~

Answer 7

We don't.
But, whether this is an illusion or not, this is the way we have lived all our lives, so even if it isn't technically real it is real to us, which I believe makes it reality.

Answer 8

Some have eyes but cannot see, some have ears but do not hear and some graduate themselves thru the cycle of knowledge, understanding and of the wise.

Answer 9

We don't know and really don't have any way of knowing. We just have to take our consciousness in this reality as being "real." No point in contemplating about that other then for kicks and giggles ;)

Answer 10

How deep is a river if you cannot see the bottom.

Answer 11

If we are, it doesn't matter.
We still think we are living normal lives.