Consensus reality

The term Consensus reality has two usages. To those who adhere to the materialist philosophy, it references the overall space-time reality believed to exist irrespective of anyone's perceptions. For those who don't adhere to the materialist philosophy, it refers to the predominent agreed-upon version of reality.

Related Topics:
Consensus - Reality - Materialist - Philosophy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Some idealists hold the view that there isn't one particular way things are, but rather that each person's personal reality is unique. Such idealists have the worldview which says that we each create our own reality, and while most people may be in general agreement (consensus) about what reality is like, they live in a different (or nonconsensus) reality.

Related Topics:
Idealists - Personal reality - Worldview

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Materialists, however, may not accept the idea of there being different possible realities for different people, so for them only the first usage of the term consensus reality would make sense. To them, someone believing otherwise might be considered delusional.

Related Topics:
Materialists - Delusion

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Objectivists, though not materialists, also reject the notion of subjective reality; they hold that while each individual may indeed have his own perception of reality, that perception has no effect on what reality actually is; in fact, if the perception of reality differs significantly from the actual reality, serious negative consequences are bound to follow.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Consensus reality may be understood by studying socially constructed reality, an obscure subject within the sociology of knowledge. (Read page three of The Social Construction of Reality by Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann.)

Related Topics:
Socially constructed reality - Sociology of knowledge - Peter L. Berger - Thomas Luckmann

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Consider this example: reality is different for people who believe in God than for those who believe that science and mathematics are sufficient for explaining life, the universe and everything. In societies where God-centered religions are dominant, that understanding would be the consensus reality, while the religious worldview would remain the nonconsensus (or alternative) reality in a predominently secular society where the consensus reality is grounded in science.

Related Topics:
God - Science - Mathematics - Universe - Secular

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~