[news.groups] Reality and Perception

karen@everexn.uucp (Karen Valentino) (02/22/90)

jeffd@ficc.uu.net (Jeff Daiell) writes:


>Reality is independent of perception.

This may or may not be an accurate statement.  But pragmatically
speaking, it doesn't matter whether reality is or isn't independent of
perception, because we cannot see what reality *is*; we cannot supersede
our perceptions.
 
Sorry, couldn't resist this one.

Flaming is in the eye of the beholder, because people perceive it
differently from each other.  And perceptions about flaming are even
more subjective than perceptions of, say, an apple.  An apple doesn't 
need semantics to describe it; it can be seen.  Flaming does.  

Karen
-- 
   Karen Valentino  <>  Everex North (Everex Systems)  <>  Sebastopol, CA
       karen@everexn.uu.net      ..{apple, well}!fico2!everexn!karen
    "Clearly, the idea of human beings as units remains at war with the
     notion of the interdependence of all things." -- Salvador Minuchin 

jeffd@ficc.uu.net (jeff daiell) (02/25/90)

In article <1990Feb22.012655.5065@everexn.uucp>, Karen Valentino writes:

> Flaming is in the eye of the beholder, because people perceive it
> differently from each other.


Only to an extent.  While John Doe might perceive a posting by
Jane Roe saying "John Doe is the most brilliant, kindly individual
on Usenet!" as a flame, it's unlikely.  And if he responded to it
as tho it were a flame, he'd make himself look foolish and likely
get some pretty sharp replies, both posted and mailed.

But I'll agree that a statement such as "This article is
totally inaccurate" might be seen as a flame by some and not
by others.  


Jeff

-- 

               "Will you still love me tomorrow?"

                                -- The Shirelles