WHAT IS OBJECTIVISM ? A primer for beginners

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

WHAT IS OBJECTIVISM ? A primer for beginners

I just came across this website. I don't know who authored it, but it looks very interesting.

Michael

[tjohnson]

From this site;

"The central question of metaphysics is :

Is reality dependent on our minds (subjective) or independent of our minds (objective) ?"

Why can't 'reality' depend on both? You are seriously handicapping your system by insisting on an either/or orientation. 'reality' doesn't exist for that person, for that time when they are unconscious, for example. Also. if people are ill it can affect their perception of 'reality'. General semantics begins with an axiom that there is no such thing as an object in perfect isolation, there needs to be an observer at the very least. To deny this is also 'illogical' since you would have to produce said object in complete isolation.

So the situation is that our consciousness is a result of the interaction of our perception and the stimulus we are immersed in.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Thomas.

Don't confuse the agent with what he perceives. If reality were as you say, we would never build a spacecraft because the subjective experience of every person involved is different.

We all perceive the same thing. We perceive it in different manners at times depending on contexts, but there is enough of a sameness that allows us to build things. We have a common source of sense stimuli and we have basically the same mental equipment.

Before you contest this too much, I suggest you read some Objectivist literature. You are trying to transpose a vocabulary and way of seeing (General Semantics) on this body of thought and that will never work until you learn it properly. Then you can compare the two.

Michael

[BaalChatzaf]

From this site;

"The central question of metaphysics is :

Is reality dependent on our minds (subjective) or independent of our minds (objective) ?"

Why can't 'reality' depend on both? You are seriously handicapping your system by insisting on an either/or orientation. 'reality' doesn't exist for that person, for that time when they are unconscious, for example. Also. if people are ill it can affect their perception of 'reality'. General semantics begins with an axiom that there is no such thing as an object in perfect isolation, there needs to be an observer at the very least. To deny this is also 'illogical' since you would have to produce said object in complete isolation.

So the situation is that our consciousness is a result of the interaction of our perception and the stimulus we are immersed in.

Indeed. But what we interact with is Out There. Reality exists without any help from us.

Our burden is to use our branial and neurological toolkit to figure out what is what and to act accordingly.

When the shit flies, duck! The shit is real. Ducking is a choice.

Ba'al Chatzaf

Ba'al Chatzaf

[tjohnson]

Thomas.

Don't confuse the agent with what he perceives. If reality were as you say, we would never build a spacecraft because the subjective experience of every person involved is different.

We all perceive the same thing. We perceive it in different manners at times depending on contexts, but there is enough of a sameness that allows us to build things. We have a common source of sense stimuli and we have basically the same mental equipment.

Before you contest this too much, I suggest you read some Objectivist literature. You are trying to transpose a vocabulary and way of seeing (General Semantics) on this body of thought and that will never work until you learn it properly. Then you can compare the two.

Michael

I don't contest what you just said, however that does not seem like what is said on that site.