What makes something real, isn't reality just an opinion?

Question

We say movies aren't real because they're "fake." They're scripted. But in reality these are people actually saying these things and it all did really happen in one form or another, maybe not in the specific context of "reality" but it was "real."

So is reality real, or is the concept of "Fake" the thing that isn't real? And if reality doesn't have an opposite then can it exist?

Answer 1

Yes, but it depends on the power wielded by the person with the opinion. Opinions can be cloaks used by people with power over others.

Answer 2

I think you have way too much time on your hands. Do me a favor go over to the wall and bang your head on the wall...it's okay I'll wait..........good you're back now I know that hurt...guess what  REALITY!!!!!! Yes Virginia Reality does exist. Now as far as the word fake goes, check the dictionary and you will find that fake means a facsimile of something, an imitation. There now doesn't that make you feel better....Now go take some aspirin it'll help your headache.

Answer 3

Everything that exists is real - it is called reality. Even the wild hallucinations of schizophrenics are real, because they are real events in the minds of real people.

Reality is not an opinion, it's an ontological fact.

Answer 4

I reject your reality and replace it with my own.

Answer 5

You are asking a rather wide question by using the word things. If we take into consideration only physical things like houses,cars, trees etc  , then we must conclude that they do not exist if they cannot be seen, heard, felt while trying to touch them, or in any way be physical measured.

But we are experiencing much other( not things). Feelings, thoughts, dreams fantasy,discussion, emotion, memories and so so on. What is real dreams in my mind, what is real memories. Even wrong or insecure  memories exist in my mind.

If you ask me about a real memory, I must not lie to you, when

I tell you.

In the books and the movies the feelings and the memories that is told, is not real. but they might be possible. If a person could have experienced them, then we might say the story is real. If it is definitely impossible that a normal person could not have experienced them, then we might say it is not real or realistic.

But some artist like to bring into our mind some inexperienced feelings, way of thinking etc...

They like to call them-self some kind of ..."ist" ,and they say there still are a lot of untaught thoughts that should be discussed.

This problem is very wide. You must reduce it to literature, movie or something special to get deeper into it.

Answer 6

I define reality as...Everything that exists. I divide everything that exists into two classes. Everything that exists inside our minds, and everything that exists outside of our minds. I believe that thinking in this way can really clear up a lot of things that people get confused about.

By my definition of reality, there is no such thing as something that doesn't exist because the instant you imagine something that doesn't exist, it exists (if only) in your mind. Weird huh? When people say that something doesn't exist, they usually mean that it doesn't exist in the physical world, or in other words, it only exists in someone's imagination.

The cause of the dilemma, that you point out in your question, is the fact that people define reality in many different ways, AND people are very (very) careless with the words they choose. Half the time people don't put any effort or thought into their attempts to communicate. Then, when there is disagreement, or misunderstanding, they wonder why.

"Fake" means... something that isn't what it appears to be. That is what people mean when they say that movies aren't real. It's just a poor choice of words.

P.S. I hope you are not serious when you say that everything has an opposite. tacos-hamburgers!?!?!?!?

P.P.S It seems to me that Gavin contradicts himself, saying that events in the mind are real, (which I agree with) then saying that reality is not an opinion. What is an opinion, if not an event in the mind? Or am I missing something?

Answer 7

It is a state of being.  How you are feeling at any given moment.