What is Reality?

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.

~Albert Einstein

What is reality? Mainstream science describes reality as "the state of things as they actually exist". So reality is simply: everything we observe.

This is a very broad definition. I observe the dreamworld, but does that make it a genuine reality? How many realities are there? Or, as Einstein suggested, is every form of reality merely an illusion? Is nothing real?

Let's start by looking at how the human brain perceives reality, and how this can give way to subjective experience.

Human Perception

The human brain is split into two distinct halves: the right brain and the left brain. They have completely separate roles and agendas. Some would even say they have separate personalities. However, in order to function, the two halves of the human brain must communicate as one via the corpus callosum.

The right brain is all about the present moment; right here, right now. It thinks entirely in pictures and learns through the kinesthetic movement of your body. It absorbs energy from the world around you and translates that into information for your sensory systems. It does not know the difference between your consciousness and the world around you. The right brain only sees one universal energy field of awareness.

The left brain is a very different place. It thinks linearly and methodically. It picks out countless details from the events in the past and makes calculated predictions about the future. The left hemisphere thinks in language, which creates your internal voice. Most importantly, it makes you aware of your existence, as a separate being from the mass energy field perceived by the right brain.

Imagine if the human brain had evolved with only the functions of the right hemisphere. Your perception of reality would be completely different. You would be drifting around in a universe filled with energy in the here and now, with no perception of the past and future. You would not know where your body ended and the ground began, or the difference between you and me.

This is a very different perception of the world. But would it be a more accurate representation of reality?

Knowing this about the human brain, the question "what is reality?" changes form. It now hinges on your individual perception. This has led to multiple theories of reality put forward by various philosophers and scientists.

Types of Reality

Phenomenological reality is based on subjective experience. Whatever you observe is instantly real to you. This theory of reality means that unreality is non-existent. Therefore lucid dreams, hallucinations, spiritual experiences, and astral travel are all forms of one subjective reality.

Consensus reality is based on the opinions and observations made by a group of people. A few individuals may decide on an interpretation of an event, which spreads across entire societies and becomes a consensual truth. Religion is a good example of a socially constructed reality.

Non-reality simply means that there is no such thing as objective reality. Every possible observation or interpretation is tainted by subjectivity and therefore does not constitute truth. Nothing is real! This is supported by quantum theory, which states that prior to observation, nothing can be said about a physical system. And as the Double Slit Experiment proves, the simple act of observation can actually change the outcome...

The Double Slit Experiment

When quantum physicists stumbled upon the Double Slit Experiment, they were in for a big shock. This infamous quantum experiment proves how tiny particles behave differently when an observer enters the scene.

Rather than trying to explain it, I will point you to this 5-minute video by Dr Quantum... It will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up!

Were you spooked? I certainly was! The implication of electrons behaving differently, just because they are being measured, is mind boggling.

Quantum theory implies there are multiple realities, where every possible outcome is played out in another parallel universe. In the Double Slit Experiment, each scientist in each universe observed a different outcome! This throws the question "what is reality?" into more chaos, as now we have infinite realities to contend with.

If the Many Worlds quantum theory isn't your cup of tea, how about the Simulation Argument. It explains what caused the Big Bang, how our reality may be affected by the act of observation, and whether there is intelligent life beyond planet Earth...

The Simulation Argument

What is reality? It is an elaborate computer game created by smart human beings in the future. That is the conclusion of the Simulation Argument, put forward by Nick Bostrom of Yale University.

By process of elimination, Bostrom says it is extremely likely that we are living inside a virtual reality world. His probability equations conclude that at least one of the following statements are true:

1. The human race will become extinct before we develop the technology to create a convincing virtual reality computer simulation.
   
   
2. Any race with such technological ability would choose not to run a large number of simulations of their evolutionary history.
   
   
3. We are almost certainly living in a computer simulation.

The reason why the Simulation Argument is compelling is because we can virtually eliminate the first and second conclusions above. But how?

Technological Barriers

Humans have been evolving for millions of years. We have survived meteor strikes, ice ages, diseases, droughts, famines, wars and more. Now we have developed the technological ability to create virtual life simulations like The Sims and Spore. Analysts predict that we will reach the point of technological singularity in the year 2045, when Artificial Intelligence will become self-aware and surpass human intelligence.

The chances of the entire human race becoming extinct before that point is negligible. Soon we will have sufficient computer memory to support a simulation with millions of years of human evolution. This proves that such a simulation is technologically possible, and therefore could already exist. Note that the creators could be of human origin - or extra terrestrial intelligence.

Ethical Barriers

If you could simulate creatures that appeared to make their own choices and evolve according to set rules - does that mean you would?

Bostrom admits that there could be ethical barriers to the Simulation Argument. Yet the likelihood is still extremely low. Take The Sims computer game as an example. Characters in The Sims are assigned specific personalities, appearances, work schedules, and even romantic relationships. We are already playing God, but because of AI limitations, they are not self-aware... yet.

However, it's quite believable that if we had the ability to build a simulation with conscious entities, we would have no ethical concerns. After all, it could be argued that the simulated creatures are merely robots, designed with pre-set laws in mind. We can't relate to such simple entities, even if they do eventually evolve into a complex forms, demonstrated by John Conway's Game of Life. But they will never be real humans and they will never know their insignificance on a grand scale, so why would we feel for them?

Our Simulated Reality

The conclusion of Bostrom's Simulation Argument is inescapable.

If we have the technology and aren't afraid to use it, then we must be living in a computer simulated world.

It is a game of numbers. A single computer simulation would involve a universe containing billions of organisms. As each civilization in that universe became technologically advanced, they too would begin making AI simulations. And in those virtual worlds, there would eventually be even more virtual worlds.

So, we have a single true reality, containing the creators of the very first computer simulation. They are the oldest civilization of all. Then we have the trillions of offspring simulations that arose from their virtual creations.

Statistically speaking, the likelihood of you existing in that original universe are infinitesimal. You are most likely to be the construct of a computer game.

The Lucid Dream Reality

What is reality? Whether we live in a quantum theory multiverse; or in a statistical computer simulation; or if our human brain perception of reality is far from the truth - we can use lucid dreams to investigate.

Lucid dreaming is the only known reality where you can alter your perception at will, travel between worlds and universes, and truly test the nature of reality.

Some people even describe their lucid dreams as more real than waking life. So think of lucid dreams as your own experimental playground...

• Fly to the edge of the universe

• Open a portal to another dimension

• Morph yourself into an atom

• Heighten your visual perception

• Create complex civilizations of your own

• Travel 100,000 years forward through time

• Rewind history and discover what caused the Big Bang

Since no-one truly knows whether lucid dreams are a subjective reality or a non-reality, there is nothing to say your lucid dream experiences aren't just as valid as perceptions of the real world.

So next time you are inside a lucid dream, ask yourself "what is reality?" You will soon discover that the possibilities for exploration are truly endless.