You're right. I did fail to explain my thoughts properly. That was justifiably upsetting. Not to mention its a frustrating hypothesis to have to consider. Sorry.

In the end, it would be "funny" if, after all of this, the truth were the thing that cannot be spoken.

I am just aware of the possibility that my perceived reality could be a simulation or hallucination or dream or illusion. It does not mean that I am convinced this is the case. If I were convinced, I would have said that I am convinced. — Truth Seeker

What are the evidences for the possibilities that you perceived? What makes you not convinced?

Like you, I too do not have a religion. — Truth Seeker

The Christian doctrines might have all the answers you are seeking for. Would you not be interested in reading about them?

I am familiar with Christianity. I am an ex-Christian. Have you read the whole Bible? I have. It's the most evil book I have ever read. Please see: https://www.evilbible.com

There are five possibilities when it comes to the real world:

The real word is:

1. Real
2. Simulation
3. Hallucination
4. Dream
5. Illusion

It's not possible for me to test the simulation/hallucination/dream/illusion hypothesis. Just because they are logical possibilities it does not mean they are actual possibilities. My perceived reality seems far too complex to be anything other than real. I am not completely certain about it but I am almost certain about it.

I am familiar with Christianity. I am an ex-Christian. — Truth Seeker

Wow cool. I never imagined you could have been an ex-Christian.

Have you read the whole Bible? — Truth Seeker

No, I haven't read the Bible at all. All I know about the Bible is the 1 quote. It goes something like "God said, Let there be light, and there was light. God was jolly happy and satisfied with the light."

I have. — Truth Seeker

Cool. I know who to ask with any queries with the Bible then.

It's the most evil book I have ever read. — Truth Seeker

Really? Interesting.

Just because they are logical possibilities it does not mean they are actual possibilities. — Truth Seeker

I think you are talking about the Modality and Possible world in Logic, which is interesting subject. Sure, we can talk about the possible world and its scenarios, inferences and reasonings with Modal Logic.

I don’t think you can explain it. By definition, explanations are illusions.

It would also be funny if the self was real, and we ourselves didn’t know it. Like looking for your sunglasses while they are on your head.

I am surprised that you haven't read the Bible at all. It's the bestselling book in the world so far. Christianity is the most popular religion on Earth. Although, all the Christians I personally know read only selected verses from the Bible instead of the whole Bible.

Sure, we can do that. We can also explore the following movies if you want to. Have you seen the following movies?

1. The Matrix
2. Predestination
3. Inception
4. The Truman Show

I am surprised too. Will add it into my reading list. :)

3. Inception — Truth Seeker

I am not a great fan of movies, but recall watching Inception many year ago. It was an interesting movie right enough.

Here is an evidence all we are experiencing is not dreams, illusions, hypotheses or hallucinations. If it were, you wouldn't be asking the questions or doubting the reality.

If your experience of reality were not real, then it wouldn't last your life time. You would wake up from the illusion or dreams, and get back to your reality within a day or two. Not doing so proves your experience is real.

I am surprised that you have not watched The Matrix, Predestination and The Truman Show. They are such excellent movies for philosophical discussions. You can watch all of them on YouTube.

What if I am in a dream that lasts my entire lifetime? What if my death is the only way to wake up from the dream?

What if I am in a hallucination that lasts my entire lifetime? What if my death is the only way to stop the hallucination?

What if I am in a simulation that lasts my entire lifetime? What if my death is the only way to exit the simulation?

What if I am in an illusion that lasts my entire lifetime? What if my death is the only way to break the illusion?

I will either find out when I die or I will just cease to exist when I die.

What if I am in an illusion that lasts my entire lifetime? What if my death is the only way to break the illusion? — Truth Seeker

No illusions or dreams last one's life time. If it did, then it would be reality. Not illusions or dreams.

I will either find out when I die or I will just cease to exist when I die. — Truth Seeker

What if, death and dyings are illusions and dreams?

If your experience lasted more than a day or two, then you can safely conclude that it was a reality, not dreams or illusions.

I am surprised that you have not watched The Matrix, Predestination and The Truman Show. They are such excellent movies for philosophical discussions. You can watch all of them on YouTube. — Truth Seeker

But watching movies bores me to death. I would rather read or go for a walk, or do workouts :D

What if I am in a dream that lasts my entire lifetime? What if my death is the only way to wake up from the dream? — Truth Seeker

It is impossible for dreams last more than a night, because you would have to wake up in the morning for the real life. Biologically and physically, if your dreams lasted more than 3 days, then you would get exhaustion not having consumed the real food and drinks, your body will not last in the real world, making your dreams evaporate.

I am not convinced. I think that it is extremely unlikely that my perceived reality is a simulation or hallucination or dream or illusion but it does not mean that there is not even a one-in-infinity chance of it being a simulation or hallucination or dream or illusion.

You are missing my point. What if I am in a special dream which lasts six hours of actual time but 100 years of experiential time? What if I am an alien with this technology that lets me dream I am a human?

I am not convinced. I think that it is extremely unlikely that my perceived reality is a simulation or hallucination or dream or illusion but it does not mean that there is not even a one-in-infinity chance of it being a simulation or hallucination or dream or illusion. — Truth Seeker

Logically possible, metaphysically maybe, but physically impossible.

What if I am in a special dream which lasts six hours of actual time but 100 years of experiential time? What if I am an alien with this technology that lets me dream I am a human? — Truth Seeker

If you provide some evidence for your presumption, and if they were convincing enough, then I might say "ok maybe, but are you sure?" Without the evidence or arguments, I would say "Nah, impossible" :D

I didn't say this was an actual event. I am talking about a hypothetical scenario. That's why I said "What if".

Why would it be physically impossible?

This is demonstrated quite well by the multiply by zero effect. You are always safer saying a thing is unlikely than you are to say it is impossible.
— Chet Hawkins

Not making sense at all. "It is unlikely that" sounds you are lacking confidence on what you are saying, or just being evasive. "It is impossible that" sounds far more declarative and certain of what you are saying. — Corvus

Exactly! I would say that I rest my case, but you are still not getting it.

Confidence IS NOT knowing. Firstly, it cannot be, because one cannot actually know. One only believes. So, confidence is exhibited as 'They who do not know, but believe strongly anyway'. Of course immoral fear types will chafe and call that incoherent. They are not really right, but this is the hubris of relatively high awareness or let's say a facility with awareness.

Confidence is anger. It stands up to fear (all thought, all logic) and to desire (all needs) and basically says, 'Nope! I choose not to be afraid of not being certain, and not to want, at least right now.'

Would you say the most confident people in the world are also the most aware? No. Yet they possess a trait that is useful despite the UNAVOIDABLE position of being unable to know. And that is wise, despite the objections of fear-side certainty seeking cowards.

Exactly! I would say that I rest my case, but you are still not getting it.

Confidence IS NOT knowing. Firstly, it cannot be, because one cannot actually know. One only believes. So, confidence is exhibited as 'They who do not know, but believe strongly anyway'. Of course immoral fear types will chafe and call that incoherent. They are not really right, but this is the hubris of relatively high awareness or let's say a facility with awareness. — Chet Hawkins

Perhaps we are just keep missing each other's point. It is understandable that it can happen. After all we have different ways looking at things in the world, and I am not aware of the contents in your mind what is going on, and you must be the same.

Confidence in the linguistic expression is based on the empirical experience and evidence from the real world events and observations, hence it can be said with most certainty.

Everything you claimed as possible i.e. dreaming, being under illusions, hallucinations and simulations are all possible, if and only if you physically existed in the real world. That is the precondition for all the possibilities you listed.

What if I exist as an immaterial soul that is experiencing the illusion of being in physical body on a physical planet in a physical universe?

Exactly! I would say that I rest my case, but you are still not getting it.

Confidence IS NOT knowing. Firstly, it cannot be, because one cannot actually know. One only believes. So, confidence is exhibited as 'They who do not know, but believe strongly anyway'. Of course immoral fear types will chafe and call that incoherent. They are not really right, but this is the hubris of relatively high awareness or let's say a facility with awareness.
— Chet Hawkins

Perhaps we are just keep missing each other's point. It is understandable that it can happen. After all we have different ways looking at things in the world, and I am not aware of the contents in your mind what is going on, and you must be the same. — Corvus

Up to here, we are fine. I respect your temerity and your clear need to find some balance.

Confidence in the linguistic expression is based on the empirical experience and evidence from the real world events and observations, hence it can be said with most certainty. — Corvus

No it is not. This is wrong. Confidence is informed by fear, yes. And fear is the patterns you are referring to as experience. But it also includes BEING in those situations. So, it can be hard to speak of single emotions rather than all together in experience.

But fear does realize that reductionism is useful. So, we reduce emotions properly to understand the root of any motivation.

Confidence is rooted in anger, not fear. Real confidence is sourced in belonging and being inseparable from all of reality. Because nothing can be created nor destroyed, death is delusional. Ultimately, that is the source of balance and confidence. 'Everything will be fine' (even if we all die screaming).

Fear cannot track that. Fear is, more than anything else, enervated and aware. It is aware of death most poignantly. Courage and confidence deny the fear of death.

Fear is the source of the need for certainty, a limit that is delusion in ALL cases. So the patterns of awareness are NOT related to confidence directly. The awareness that is related to confidence is the awareness that the certainty of fear must be put down and the awareness that death is acceptable and normal. Of course we do not want to go too far with this. Every emotion can be over-expressed.

Anyway, hopefully that was useful.

What if I exist as an immaterial soul that is experiencing the illusion of being in physical body on a physical planet in a physical universe? — Truth Seeker

In one sense, that IS the case.

Reality is nothing but consciousness. Anger pushing back against fear and desire, and itself, causes mass to exist. The tension of anger is mass itself.

The 'immaterial soul' is just a phrase used to describe the awareness of the illusory nature of physical reality by itself. In other words reality is more than just physical reality. It includes the mind and all fear constructs, as well as desire and perfection as a guide.

The only thing in existence that is not an illusion is the truth of perfection. That is why we are compelled via desire to approach it.

Thank you for sharing your beliefs about this. Can you prove your claims?

↪Chet Hawkins Thank you for sharing your beliefs about this. Can you prove your claims? — Truth Seeker

I realize that there is no proof. Apparently you do not. To prove something is to know it, objectively. That is not possible.

We must live based on a well of beliefs, faith. This is not religious. It is nonetheless informed by experience, by being in reality.

Proof is a delusional need. It will not serve you to ask for it. You DO properly take on awareness as a burden. The wiser we are the more of a burden we have to do good, to choose the good, amid free will.

This thread already contains many of my arguments towards truth. Since proof is impossible, it is incoherent to expect it. It is not incoherent to seek truth and awareness though. Fear is useful and parts of it are good.

You call yourself truth-seeker and that is a fine name. Truth arriver, they who have proof, would only be delusion. That name would not be good.

I can prove that if you have one banana and you eat it, you won't have a banana left. There are trillions of such things that I can prove. So, it's incorrect to say that there is no proof.