Perception and Reality

It has been said that humans aren’t perfect. This is especially true in the world of perception as our sensory organs only perceive a fraction of reality and the brain is interpreting the rest. This interpretation could, of course, be wrong since it isn’t entirely based in reality - filling in the blanks does mean that the blanks could be filed incorrectly.

Both our brain and sensory organs have limited capabilities that would need to be upgraded to process more of the reality that surrounds us. It’s something that is likely not going to happen naturally but there could be a future where technology is used for bodily upgrades. Even today, technology is used to provide data with a precision not possible by simply using the means available via our bodies.

Somehow, humanity has learned to navigate through these uncertainties but it does beg the question of how much are we missing out on? What would be the possibilities if our brain could perceive reality more accurately? How often have we been wrong simply because we don’t have the correct/complete picture of an event? 

Multiply these uncertainties by the amount of years humanity has been around and by how many people has ever lived and the result, for better or worse, is our present moment.

“There’s no truth. There is only perception.” 

-Gustave Flaubert

We’re very trusting of our views on reality but that’s only because we don’t know how much of it is wrong. We’re only now beginning to understand our limitations and it’s only a question of time before we find ways to improve our perception of the world.

What is philosophy?

When I was a kid, I didn’t know the difference between psychology and philosophy. 

Psychology is the study of the mind. Philosophy is a set of rules we consciously, or unconsciously, live by.

Philosophy is all around us. Society is a philosophy, government is a philosophy, religion is a philosophy… how you run your family affair is a philosophy. Every day, we swim in a sea of philosophical beliefs. This is one of the reasons why learning about philosophy is so important - it helps to understand our place in the universe.

What is the best philosophy to follow?

As you go through life, you take in what you like and reject what you don't like which ultimately becomes your, unique, philosophy. For it to be considered "the best" you need to challenge it through continuous learning. 

The best philosophy is found within the discovery of self.

Why Immortality?

We are living with an awareness of ourselves and the limitation of life. Biologically speaking, the ultimate goal is immortality – to reach a point where death is a choice. What other end is there for a biological specie of intellect?
Extending life indefinitely cannot be a characteristic unique to our specie. There must be a point, for any biological specie of intellect (with limited lifespan), where efforts are made towards extending life as much as possible.

Why Immortality?

Of course, immortality isn’t for everyone; Some will say that life is meant to end while others wonder how things will be a thousand years from now and want to partake in all of it. The point is that we should get to choose.

How long does it take for a biological specie to unlock the secrets of immortality?

Science fiction has often toyed with the idea of immortality and, depending on the route we want to take, or the definition of immortality we choose, we may be closer than we think. Keeping in mind that the current estimate of the technological space required to upload a human mind into a computer is 1 Petabyte and there’s already been a successful microchip connected to a human brain... we may be less than a century away from successfully uploading a human mind into a machine – thus reaching, a primitive version of, immortality.
We could also reach immortality by “freezing” ourselves, using cryogenics technology, until such time when better means are available to us.

Our lifespan is currently limited but it may not always be so.

Limits of Technological Advancement

Is there a limit to technological advancement? If the limit is our imagination then the limit effectively becomes our needs and desires. Once those are satisfied, what could we possibly want more?

Imagination has its limits…

Once we reach immortality, once we can create universes at the blink of an eye, what more could we possibly want? The limit of technology is tied to the imagination of the creator. If the imagination of the creator is limitless then so, too, is the technological advances.

Someone Else' Perspective

“…all people see the world, not as it is, but as they are.”

-Stephen R. Covey

An important part of understanding each other is found in the ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes in order to see the world as they see it.

An anxious person will see things to be anxious about. A happy person sees things that foster happiness. An angry person will see things that make them angry.

This is a strategy I have to use at work. I know, for example, the details of my instructions can differ greatly depending on who the recepient is as people understand the project differently.

A little consideration for others can go a long way in creating synergy. If we saw more things, from someone else's perspective, the world would be a better place.