Reality

Reality:-

It is overcast outside, and dark clouds are covering the sky. Birds are flying above in an art-like pattern. Suddenly, it started pouring, and a rainy smell covered the Earth. The trees are visible, having their leaves drenched with water. I can see the empty street through my window glasses. It is deserted, and one can hear the drizzle hitting the ground. Kids returning from school are rushing towards their houses. A black car passed by, splashing water on those kids. I could hear prayer songs from the church next to the street. A young man was chasing a girl, and both entered their house with loud laughter. 

The silence and the emptiness inside and outside made me philosophical. Am I real? Are my experiences real? Are the car, the kids, the sound of the rain, the car with its black color, all these real?

So, what is reality? Several definitions could be based on whom you talk to and their background. Most people think anything acceptable to common sense is reality. But common sense things we have taken for granted, like color and sound, are only reality created by human sensory perceptions and have no physical reality. They are electromagnetic waves with a specific wavelength range interpreted as color or sound by our sensory system.

In ancient days, religious thoughts and teachings were considered true and real. Even today, ideas like the existence of God, rebirth, and soul have no scientific basis but are considered reality even among scientists. These are realities based on beliefs carried over from several generations in the past.

Then, is reality the only thing that can be proven scientifically or anything consistent with logic? But science has several questions unanswered. It has covered only the fringe of knowledge. Some aspects of quantum physics are beyond logic, and scientists must still unravel its meaning.

Types of Reality:-

The first kind of reality we will be discussing is physical reality. The objects we see in everyday life, like chairs, stones, water, etc., are part of physical reality. These objects occupy space, have mass, and offer resistance when in contact with another body. They are independent of our sensory perceptions and our conscious awareness. 

Even though the universe had existed several billions of years ago, human consciousness evolved only a few hundred thousand years ago. So a world without human consciousness would still exist with all its objects like mountains, rivers, moon, sun, etc. This has at least been accepted among most scientists and ordinary people. There would be no colors and sound, but physical objects have a reality even without human presence. 

However, some philosophers and scholars from ancient Hindu philosophical schools argue that physical reality does not exist. Physical reality is a 'Maya,' an illusion conceived by our imagination.

The next is the reality of the mind or the reality perceived by our senses and consciousness. This reality is even broader as it covers abstract ideas besides physical objects. Color, smell, feelings, and emotions are recognized by our minds even though they are intangible. Laws of physics, economics, and mathematical theorems are abstract and can only be conceived by our minds. 

However, the human mind is prone to error and hallucinations. We dread ghosts and demons that are not real. Our dreams, though they appear to be real, are just imaginations of our subconscious mind in a sleeping state. 

Scientists and some philosophers argue that the reality of the mind is the same as physical reality, as the mind is created by the brain and its neurochemical processes, which are physical. 

Now, what about the unrealistic imaginations of a mentally disabled person? Ordinary people will never accept their reality. Everyone agrees to the presence of the sun, star, and moon, but not to ghosts and demons. So, we can argue that reality which is acceptable to most people or our collective mind is the only acceptable reality. 

But the majority of our collective mind still accepts unproven religious ideas like God, rebirth, soul, etc. So, the multitudes of minds have a consensus on only some things at all times. For a religious person, God is a reality to him, though not acceptable to a rational person. Ideas accepted by scientists, like Quantum Physics and Parallel World, would easily be dismissed by people with non-scientific backgrounds.

Reality of Atoms:-

 When we divide an object into two, we get two smaller halves. Further continuously dividing, we get much smaller ones. According to atomic theory, this dividing process should end when we reach a final indivisible matter. This fundamental, indivisible unit particle is called an atom.

Atomic theory is not a recent Western invention but is even found in Indian and Greek philosophies. In the 5th century BC, Democritus proposed the atomic theory. The Indian sage who developed the atomic theory was Acharya Kanad in 600 BC. His book Vaisheshik Darshan explains that every object is made of smaller units called 'Anu' or atoms.

However, the idea that an atom is the final unit particle came to be proven false when even smaller units like protons, neutrons, and electrons were found. But it did not end there. Even new particle matters, like bosons, mesons, dark matter, etc., are being found.

So, this becomes an endless process if we keep dividing objects to find a final indivisible matter. This leads us to whether a fundamental unit matter exists at all. Scientists and philosophers are divided on this question. If there is no fundamental unit matter, then macroscopic objects are not aggregations like a bucket full of balls but extended continuous objects like jelly in a jar.

Indian scholar Vasubandhu rejected the atomic theory and dismissed the idea of the atom as just an imagination of the mind. 

The reality of Particles:-

The advent of Quantum Physics in the early 20th century questioned the very existence of particulate matter itself. This theory proposed the dual nature of matter - that is, it exists as both particles and waves. Just like waves, it is not possible to pinpoint matter to a particular location or state. The matter exists as a probability wave, a superposition of several possible states (or locations). When an observer tries to observe the matter in an experimental setup, the wave nature of the matter collapses, to particle form and it reduces to a single state. Matter shows the behavior of a particle only when observed by an observer.

The above theory raises an important question. The matter makes itself present only when observed. The conscious mind of an observer is required for the presence of matter. So, objects made up of matter are also a creation of the mind. This is in contradiction to the physical reality, which was previously taken for granted by the scientific community. The scientific community was surprised to find that physical objects exist only as the reality of the mind. This motivated Western thinkers like Schrodinger, Oppenheimer, Bach, etc, to search for the eternal truth in Vedanta and Upanishads.

Scientists have also come up with alternative theories contradicting the idea that it is human consciousness causing the superposition wave collapse. Everett proposed the 'Many Worlds Theory.' He states that when a particle existing in multiple states is observed, multiple universes are spawned. In each universe, the particle collapses into a distinct state. Though it sounds fancy, the Many Worlds Theory has been supported by many scientists. In its way, this theory tries to establish the Reality of Physical objects. 

Another argument in support of the 'Reality of Matter' is that objects occupy space. Objects are not electromagnetic waves but are extended in space. The building blocks of the object, i.e., matter occupying space, are essential for the objects to be extended in space. The other properties of matter, like mass, charge, and spin magnitude, can only be explained if we accept the physical reality of matter.

Scientists in support of materialism argue that consciousness is a creation of physical reality and not vice versa. They argue that Consciousness is a creation of the brain and its neurochemical activities. Roger Penrose suggests that the 'objective reduction' of the superposition wave happens inside specific parts of the neurons called microtubules that make up the brain. If this is the case, we don't need a mysterious non-physical entity to cause the wave reduction. The brain's neural process is good enough to accomplish this.

Mathematical Reality:-

Mathematical theories can explain nature and physical reality. Objects like wheels, levers, and tools are copies of mathematical shapes like triangles, circles, the Pentagon, etc. The motion of stars and planets can be described using mathematical and physical laws like Pythagoras' theorem, Newton's laws of gravity, etc.

Greek Philosopher Plato suggested the idea of 'utopia,' where everything exists in its perfect state. Mathematical models can be considered as elements of this mathematical utopia. These mathematical objects are in their perfect utopia. The physical reality is always an imperfect version of mathematical reality. For example, a ball or any circular object is always imperfect compared to the mathematical version of 'a circle'. Also, the mathematical laws are repeatable. The Pythagoras theorem applies to any right-angled triangle. The laws of gravity apply to any two macroscopic objects. The chemical laws apply to any object, including living organisms.

Mathematical objects are unlike any other objects. They are not made up of matter. They do not exist in space or time. They cannot be created or destroyed. The mathematical reality is also not mental. Though it requires the mind and thought to understand it, it is independent of the mind, as, unlike thoughts of the mind, mathematical reality is based on consistency and uniformity. 

Some scientists suggest that these mathematical objects were not invented but discovered. That is, they exist and are 'real'. They are not abstract ideas or tools scientists use to explain real-life phenomena. They are a 'reality' by themselves, which has always existed and was discovered by scientists. For example, Pythagoras Theorem was proposed even before its usability to any real physical phenomenon could be found. The same applies to many other mathematical theorems. Mathematical reality is the ultimate reality, and the physical world is just an imperfect blueprint of mathematical reality.

It can claimed that this 'mathematical utopia' is heaven and God is a mathematician. 

The Reality of Time:-

A few years back, I had gone on a trip to the Swiss mountains. I trekked and reached a lake in the middle of a mountain. The lake was bound by the ice-clad mountains. I stood mesmerized by the timeless beauty of nature before me. Suddenly, I saw my watch and was surprised that I had spent almost an hour standing there and time had just flown quickly. I compared this moment to my day-to-day routine. Usually, I sit at my office figuring out some messy spreadsheet and waiting to end my day. Time at the office generally moves very slowly.

So, is time just an illusion, a construct of the mind? Or time has relevance to our physical world. Time is an essential constituent of mathematical reality. Many laws of physics and math depend on time. Even in our physical reality, the motion of stars and moons depends on mathematical laws and time. So time is not merely a reality of the mind but also has mathematical and physical truth. 

Time flows like a stream. It moves from the past to the present and flows to the future. It is continuous, not making discrete hops. Also, the arrow of time is irreversible. At this moment, in the present instance, the past is unalterable; the present is something to deal with currently, and the future events are unknown, Time presents itself as a growing reality as it flows from the present to the future, which is unknown. The future is alterable based on my choices, but the past is something I cannot change. This theory allows free will and a person can change his life based on his choices. This is called the Growing Universe theory. Also, I cannot travel to the future or past in a growing Universe theory. I am in 'present'. This is my only reality, and I have to live with it. 

There is another theory in which time is frozen. Here, the past, present, and future are unchangeable. If a time traveler can travel from past to future and back and forth, he will find the events at any time are the same and unchanged. This is called the Godelian view of time. This contradicts the Growing reality of time in which the future is alterable based on our choices. In a way, Godelian time depicts a deterministic view of life, renounces free will, and there is no place for human choice.

In either of these theories, sitting in my present, I cannot control the past. My current actions cannot change the events of the past. However, Quantum theory rejects this idea through a simple experiment.

A single photon is made to pass through a barrier with two slits. Two microscopes detect them at a distance. In between the slits and the observer, a screen is placed. Now, if the screen is present, an interference pattern is seen on the screen. This is because the photon will pass through two slits because of its wave-like nature. If the screen is removed, the photon will be detected by any of the microscopes. This is because the photon has assumed particle nature and would have passed only through either one of the slits. 

Now if the screen is placed after the photon has already passed through the slit; still an interference pattern is seen all the time. Also, if the screen is removed after it passes through the slit, it is still observed by only one of the telescopes. 

The assumption is by the time the photon has passed through the slit; it would have decided whether to take a wave or particle nature. This is the understanding based on how time flows from past to present, where the choice made in the present does not alter the past. But this is not the case. An action done in the present, putting or removing the screen, seems to impact the past action of the photon, whether to pass through one slit (particle nature without screen) or to pass through both slits (wave nature with screen). 

This experiment contrasts the accepted reality of the past; it is unalterable by present or future actions.

What about the actions of the present? Is it real? The action we perceive as present is always an action of the past. It takes light some time to reach our sensory organs after it travels from the object source. Extending this idea lets us assume that aliens from a distant galaxy had decided to invade the Earth and had set out to travel in a spaceship. Their action when they left their galaxy in the spaceship is what would be observed on Earth at the present. But the spaceship had left light years ago and would now be mid-way in space. For an observer in that distant galaxy, the reality is that the spaceship had left already. But for an observer on Earth, the spaceship has just left the galaxy.

It can be inferred from these thought experiments that the simultaneity of an event is not frozen but observer-relative. 

Also, how sure can we be of an action observed to have taken place in the present? Suppose an action occurs at present, and the time is measured as 12 pm 54 minutes 33 seconds. But did the action occur at the 33rd second or slightly before or after it? It is not true that 'second' is the fundamental unit of time duration. There are even smaller units of time, like microseconds and nanoseconds etc. If we try to divide the known smaller unit of time into further smaller units, will we arrive at a fundamental unit of time that cannot be further divided? In other words, is time a discrete or continuous function? Physicists who support quantum gravity suggest a fundamental unit of time exists and is called 'Plancks Time.' However, this theory is still in its infancy and has yet to be universally accepted by scientists.

Our human mind also does not perceive the change in events in our environment to the minutest time unit. Our mind always perceives a change in discrete time intervals. Whatever happens in between this time interval is blocked out by our consciousness. 

Also, according to experiments conducted by Libet, an action that took place now to manifest in our consciousness takes half a second. Our consciousness needs to catch up to real-life events by half a second. But our motor neurons are perceptive to these changes faster enough, and we can act immediately. It is just the awareness of the event lags by half a second. This explains why a batter in baseball or cricket can time the ball before even he can see it. 

So, there is no actual 'present' when our consciousness is considered. What we perceive as present has already occurred in the past. The present is an illusion and not a reality. 

Nothing is Real:-

Some thinkers believe our physical nature is unreal if we assume we are just a simulation in alien software. The world of the material object, with space and time, is the output of this software. This output can manifest as images on the screen or stored in a computer storage. This is just an abstract object and has no physical presence. If the world of reality is just an output of such a program, then the material objects form no fundamental part of reality. Also, this simulation itself can be part of another simulation, which is inside another simulation and can lead to multiple layers of simulations.

Our reality can also be assumed to be that of a dream - a 'Matrix' kind of reality. Or it can also be a dream within another dream, an 'Inception' kind of reality. But unlike the simulation where the software programmer has control over the events in a simulation, the dreamer has no control over his dreams, which is the consequence of the neural firings of our subconscious mind.

All the above theories are mere figments of our imagination, good ingredients for a science fiction plot. But the fact is that no reality can also have a logical explanation. We can use reductionist theory to explain this. According to the theory of reductionism, any complex phenomenon can ultimately be reduced to a fundamental phenomenon beyond which it is ultimately irreducible. For example, our biological functioning can be explained in terms of organs, which can be explained in terms of cells, which itself can be explained in terms of the chemical properties of atoms and molecules, and which can be explained in terms of laws of physics.

Using a similar reductionism mechanism, let us say the reality of the mind is due to our consciousness. Now, consciousness can be explained in terms of the brain's and neurons' functioning. The brain functioning can be explained in terms of cells. The activities of cells can be explained in terms of the functioning of atoms and molecules. But atomic behavior is quantum in nature. The quantum nature requires a conscious mind for interpretation. We see here we started with consciousness, the reality of the mind, and finally ended with consciousness. The relationship is circular, which does not obey the reductionism theory. Per reductionism theory, we should end with a final irreducible fundamental nature that is layered and not circular.