Theos-Talk Archives (January 1997 Message tl00864)

The Triaist wrote:

>liesel f. deutsch writes:

>>Tom wrote:

>>>There is a significant difference between seeming to be real and being
>>>real.

>>What is it? How do you tell?

>There is no difference.  Relativity provides for interrelation.  Anything that 
>you define as real is your own relative viewpoint.  Because that viewpoint is 
>relative, and therefore interrelated with reality, it is real.

Taking this literally would mean that you see no difference between
perception and reality.  I have a perception of participating in the Theos
list.  Assuming you have the same perception, what would account for our
similar perceptions, if not the objective reality of our both participating
on the list?  Could you choose not to perceive that you are participating
in the Theos list?  If 100,000 people at a football game were all asked
whether or not they perceived a football game, and they all said yes, would
you regard that as pure coincidence, if you do not believe there is any
reality to the football game?  What would the word "mistake" mean, if there
is no difference between perception and reality?  I define it as perception
being different from reality.  The Objectivist says that perception and
reality are identical, and they are objective.  The Subjectivist says that
perception and reality are identical, and they are subjective.  The
Theosophist says that perception and reality are distinct but inseparable
from each other, and that perception is the result of the union of subject
and object.  I take what I have just called the Theosophical position.
You, Jerry, and Liesel seem to be taking what I have just called the
Subjectivist position.