What is Reality?

Compassionist · Post by **Compassionist** » Thu Feb 16, 2023 11:14 am

I just watched the above video. It blew my mind. How can we know whether Idealism or Materialism or both are true? If Idealism is true, why do molecules affect the mind? For example, taking antipsychotic medication stops hallucinations, and taking antidepressant medication lifts depression, and taking hallucinogens causes hallucinations. If Materialism is true, why do thoughts and emotions affect neurochemistry? How can we know the true nature of reality? How can we know what exists and what does not exist? How can we know what is real, and what is not real? Epistemology is a conundrum because there are lots of hypotheses that can't be tested e.g. Simulation Hypothesis (the perceived world is simulated), Illusion Hypothesis (our perceptions are illusions), Philosophical Zombie Hypothesis (beings that appear sentient are not actually sentient), Gods Hypothesis (Gods exist and are all-knowing and all-powerful), Karma Hypothesis (sentient beings are rewarded and punished according to their Karma), Reincarnation Hypothesis (immortal souls exist and reincarnate in different bodies), Resurrection Hypothesis (immortal souls exist and are resurrected after death), Heaven and Hell Hypothesis (Heaven and Hell exist and immortal souls go there depending on their beliefs and/or actions), Undetectable Beings Hypothesis (beings that can't be detected exist e.g. angels, demons, aliens, time-travellers, ghosts, fairies, leprechauns), etc. How can we know what is true and what is false? Please see https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog ... at-is-real

Miles · Post by **Miles** » Thu Feb 16, 2023 2:31 pm

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I bailed right after she said "The word crystal means 'a pattern that is periodic'. Look at this checkerboard pattern. See how it spreads out infinitely in each direction? That means it's a periodic pattern. So that's a two dimensional crystal."

Just the fact that "crystal" does NOT mean 'a pattern that is periodic' and that a "checkerboard pattern that spreads out infinitely in each direction is NOT a two dimensional crystal" is enough to make one choke on their chewing gum. Here, from an etymology website on the word "crystal."

"crystal (n.)

formerly also cristal, and, erroneously, chrystal, Old English cristal "clear ice; clear, transparent mineral," from Old French cristal (12c., Modern French crystal), from Latin crystallus "crystal, ice," from Greek krystallos, from kryos "frost," from PIE root *kreus- "to begin to freeze, form a crust."

The spelling adopted the Latin form 15c.-17c. The mineral has been so-called since Anglo-Saxon times; it was regarded by the ancients as a sort of petrified ice. In the specific sense in chemistry, "body with a molecular structure that causes it to take the form of a regular solid enclosed by a certain number of plane surfaces," from 1620s.

Crystall is a brighte stone and clere with watry colour. Men trowe that it is of snowe or yse made harde in space of many yeres. Therfore the Grekes yave a name therto. It is gendred in Asia and in Cipres, and namely in the northe moutaynes where the sonne is mooste feruent in somer. [Bartholomew Glanville, "De proprietatibus rerum," c. 1240, translated by John of Trevisa c. 1398]

*kreus-
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to begin to freeze, form a crust."

It forms all or part of: crouton; crust; Crustacea; crustacean; cryo-; cryogenic; crystal; crystalline; crystallize; custard; encrust; Kristallnacht.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit krud- "make hard, thicken;" Avestan xruzdra- "hard;" Greek krystallos "ice, crystal," kryos "icy cold, frost;" Latin crusta "rind, crust, shell, bark;" Lettish kruwesis "frozen mud;" Old High German hrosa "ice, crust;" Old English hruse "earth;" Old Norse hroðr "scurf."
source

And a current dictionary's six definitions of "crystal"

crystal in American English
(ˈkrɪstəl )
noun
1.
a. a clear, transparent mineral; esp., pure quartz
b. a piece of such quartz cut in the form of an ornament

2.
a. a very clear, brilliant glass
b. articles made of this glass, such as goblets, bowls, or other ware

3. US
the transparent protective covering over the face of a watch

4. anything clear and transparent like crystal

5. a solidified form of a substance in which the atoms or molecules are arranged in a definite pattern that is repeated regularly in three dimensions: crystals tend to develop forms bounded by definitely oriented plane surfaces that are harmonious with their internal structures
see also crystal system

6. Radio and Electricity
a piezoelectric body or plate, as of quartz, used to control very precisely the frequency of an oscillator or as a circuit element in a crystal filter or a body, often of Rochelle salt, used in a transducer, as in a crystal pickup or microphone
source: Collins Dictionary

Point being, anyone who plays fast and loose with the basics can't be trusted to get the nitty-gritty correct.

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