What is Real? How do YOU define Real?

[Compassionist]

As Morpheus asked in 'The Matrix', "What is real? How do you define real?"

We don't know reality directly. We appear to know our sensory-cognitive-affective model of reality as it appears to be generated by the brain. One is considered psychotic if one perceives things, not perceived by others.

Are you familiar with the concept of Maya in Hinduism? Maya means illusion and states that this perceptual world that is sensed by our senses and measured by science is an illusion i.e. not what it seems. It is impossible to disprove it. This is why I am a strong agnostic about the ultimate nature of reality although I am not agnostic about the apparent nature of reality.

Does the workings of the brain produce the mind or is the brain an illusion perceived by an immortal soul? How would I know for sure? How would you or anyone else know for sure? Do any of you really exist or are you all part of a dream or a hallucination I am experiencing?

[Angel]

Considering dreams might give us a good idea of what is real. Your body is chemically paralyzed during sleep for a good reason. Your brain really believes that whats going on in a dream is real and we would all be doing some crazy things if not for that immobility during REM sleep. Is it possible that the "reality" we experience daily could be interpreted as a dream on another level of consciousness?

Here's a question that's along the same lines from some ancient Asian mystic, I think by the name of Chuang-tzu:

"Am I a man dreaming that I'm a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming that I'm a man?"

Alternate way it has been said...

If I'm asleep and dreaming that I'm a butterfly how do I know if while I'm awake that I'm not a butterfly dreaming that I'm a man?

[Compassionist]

Considering dreams might give us a good idea of what is real. Your body is chemically paralyzed during sleep for a good reason. Your brain really believes that whats going on in a dream is real and we would all be doing some crazy things if not for that immobility during REM sleep. Is it possible that the "reality" we experience daily could be interpreted as a dream on another level of consciousness?

It is entirely possible that the perceptual everyday reality is really Maya or even the Matrix or something like the simulated reality portrayed in Vanilla Sky!

The same applies to the dream / real and butterfly / man alternative realities mentioned by Angel.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 (New International Version) says: "Test everything. Hold on to the good."

How can we possibly tell without testing it thoroughly? What if I am really the Compassionist Fideistic Saviour of All in the Omniverse? How can you know until you have died?