From: edlantz@aol.com (Edlantz)
Subject: Re: PHIL: Concept of Reality
Date: 1 May 1996 18:33:43 -0400
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)


Thalia,  I will tackle your questions...

>- what is real?
Everything.  But, for most of us, "reality" is that which we choose to
take seriously.

>- is it important to know what is real?
Yes.  Because that which we ignore (by being so seriously focused on
"reality") can bite us.

>- how do we know something is real?
It bites us.

>- if we put virtual head gear on a baby as soon as it was born and the 
>  person lived their whole life in a virtual world, would he/she think 
>  that is reality?
Yes.  Like most humans, he/she would take it seriously.

>- Is virtual reality leading us closer to what is really real?
Yes, to the extent that it teaches us not to take "reality" so serious.

Thanks for a chance to philosophize...

Ed Lantz
edlantz@aol.com