Custom «Section A - Reality, Truth, Knowledge » Essay Paper Sample

What is reality? Is it all in our imagination like the movie, The Matrix or is the world we sense really "real."

Reality is defined as that energy which surrounds human beings. Out of this energy, we (human beings) generate our discernment. The range of human beings experience is endless. This means that human beings reality is endless. The realities of human beings are formed jointly. The beliefs of human beings play a crucial role in whatever they experience. This implies that our beliefs fashion our reality. As a matter of fact, the institutions that formulate the beliefs of human beings control their reality. Basically, our 5 common senses permit us to sense that the globe is actual or real. As human beings, it's extremely tricky to refute the legitimacy of what we observe. Whatever we observe appears real. Human beings can't stop to query this reality. An individual who is watching a certain film shall be involved with the characters. Additionally, he or she will get involved with anything that takes place on the television or on the computer screen. This person may possibly turn out to be blissful or even distressful with the supermen in the film. Furthermore, this person may shout or laugh. In the event that this particular person chooses to discontinue watching the film, he or she will break out of the delusion which was generated by the movie. The projecting device shall persist to relay pictures on the display. Nevertheless, this particular person understands that it's simply light that is relayed via the movie and on the display. Basically, what's viewed on the screen isn't real. However, it exists.

What do you think? Is the world made of "real stuff?" Is it in our imagination? Can we know if it is real?

In the event that human beings declare that a real stuff is anything which subsists at all times, subsequently the exterior world isn't real. Some instances exist apart from sleep in which human beings are eventful. Under this condition, we're not aware of the happenings that are taking place. Additionally, if a person is in deep thought he or she is still conscious. However, this person is not conscious of the world. Thus, this implies that human beings are from time to time cognizant of the world. It also implies that we're not cognizant occasionally. There is simply one occasion in which the world subsists for human beings. This is the period in which the senses are shifted towards it. The moment a person rouses from sleep, he or she will sense that a void or gap existed in his or her perception of the exterior world (Success Consciousness.com, 2010).

Whatever your basic answer, there are some difficult things -- like gods, ghosts, and sprits; or atoms, photons, or utility and "emotion." What do you think is real? Justify your answer using some concepts from the disciplines of "ontology" and "epistemology"

Epistemology may be defined as connecting to the query, "How do I discern? On the other hand, ontology may be defined as relating to the query, "What is it that I discern? A condition must exist in order for anything to subsist. It must contain something. It is apparent that anything is made up of atoms. On the other hand, atoms do radiate energy. This energy has definite confines. Likewise, atoms contain definite confines or limits. A single item can't penetrate another item and end up maintaining its initial shape. Therefore, if ghosts and spirits are real, in the sense that they are made up of matter, it is not possible for them to penetrate walls. Physically, it's not possible for ghosts and spirits to penetrate walls. Therefore, I believe that ghosts, gods, emotions and spirits aren't real. However, according to me atoms and photons are real (WordPress.com, 2009).

Science adopts a "materialist" or "realist" approach. What does that mean? How can science deal with stuff like ghosts and gods, emotions and "utility" (If at all.)

Reality is actually the fundamental philosophy. From a scientific viewpoint, reality affirms that our perception obtains experiences from exterior world. The pictures human beings receive, for instance, from the telescopes are pictures of an authentically reality. The existence of pictures that human beings receive isn't reliant on human beings' consciousness of the pictures. An observer interruption of the scheme exists. However, owing to the fact that human beings view and interrupt it doesn't imply that human beings form it. On the other hand, materialism argues that surfacing properties were not included due to the fact that they assumed a stringent reductionist ansatz. It suggests that the whole world can be lessened to stiff, material fragments. The materialist approach deems that anything that subsists must be matter. It also deems that whatever exists should wholly rely on matter.

Science does not deal with evidence. Science defines natural occurrences. It achieves this by utilizing both observation and experimental proof. Ghosts, gods, emotions and "utility" are not classified inside the sphere of science. This is attributed to the fact that not anything is noticeable or testable. Science does not deal with spirits, ghosts, gods, emotions and utility. There is no scientific definition of spirits, ghosts, gods, emotions and utility (Brane Space, 2010).

Section A2

First, consider "positive knowledge," including facts, scientific laws, math, and logic. A really important debate among scientists and scholars is whether we can ever gain truly "demonstrable" knowledge of the possible regularities of nature (e.g., the law of gravity). This is called the problem of induction. What is it, and why do people think it is an important problem?

Positive knowledge assertion consists of statements of causation and comparison. Additionally, it includes explanation and observation. An example of a positive knowledge assertion is, "Anthropogenic discharge of co₂ gas is accountable for the variations in universal climate". Induction is defined as the act of deducing a common principle from the surveillance of meticulous cases. Mathematical induction is basically a deductive technique. Acuity and reminiscence are apparently the main sources of knowledge. On the other hand, problem of induction is defined as the process of validating the inductive interruption from the examined to the unexamined. This interruption depends on the postulation that the future shall bear a resemblance to the past. If someone is asked the reason as to why he or she deems that the sun shall ascend tomorrow, he or she shall articulate that the earth typically revolves on its own axis every twenty four (24) hours. Thus, there is a 100% warranty that it shall rise tomorrow. However, the question that comes to mind is, "How does this person know that nature is consistent in this sense"? This presumption is validated once we presume that the future ought to bear a resemblance to the past.

Now consider "normative knowledge" knowledge about right action and good things (ethics, value judgments). What is normative knowledge and how is it different from positive knowledge?

Normative knowledge assertions consist of judgments of good and bad. Additionally, assertions include process, system and etc. Examples of normative assertions include first, "It's imperative to safeguard the biodiversity". Second, "Human beings have an ethical responsibility of averting brutality to both domestic and wild animals". Third, "It is a good proposal to have in place a law that prohibits elephant-hunting". Fourth, "The verdict to escalate the tax on kerosene was the correct one. Last, "Businesses ought to lessen their effects on the atmosphere". Knowledge is usually normative through and through. Unlike positive knowledge, normative knowledge is typically value based and subjective. Additionally, it cannot be proved (Greenwich, n.d).