Perception is Reality - A skeptical viewpoint

The truth isn't just a derivative of your views.

- Epica, Monopoly on Truth

You might have heard (or believe):

Truth is relative. Individuals determine what is true. There is no such thing as truth. Everyone can be right about anything. What people believe 'is true for them.' Since we can't be certain, there is no truth.

Where, if anywhere, does 'perception is reality' fall in to those ideas? Are these ideas tenable?

The phrase perception is reality was uttered quite often in class ...but what does this really mean? ...and how 'far' do the implications extend? ...and how can philosophy inform our understanding?

What the textbook has to say

...who makes the rules for what is simple and what's not? (p.17)
...descendants of Freud [...] view reality as inseparable from the observer one person's truth may not be the same as another's (p. 67)

The demise of the totally objective therapist/observer arose from [...] Einstein's relativity theory, quantum physics, and Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. (p. 67)

Adler believed that individual's perceptions, rather than some objective external criterion, determined their views of reality. (p. 110)

Carl Rogers argued that the most important factor in understanding a given individual is his (the individual's) perceptions of reality, because for the person, perception is reality. (p. 156) Freud believed There was a clear and consistent truth, rooted in physical reality. (p. 67)

Three understandings

Individuals' beliefs constitute how they believe the world actually is.

How persons see the world is how the world actually is 'for them.'

One person's truth may not be the same as another's [Neo-Freudians]. Truth, then, is relative. There is no objective truth.

Before we start...some basic philosophy!

Law of the excluded middle: A statement is either true or not true. Law of non-contradiction: Two contradictory statements can't both be true. Philosophical realism: There exists an reality independent of what we might think of it.

'Truth Relativism'
Truth relativism is the idea that that truth [about matters of objective reality] differs from individual to individual. On this account, there is no such thing as objective truth. ...but this view is really, really, really problematic.

Problems with 'Truth Relativism'

We're forced to accept contradictions.

Sue says the grass is green.

Bob says the grass is not green (or is blue). They both can't be right.

We'd have to deny truths about simple matters.

We can't say that the grass is green!

After all, Bob says it is not.

We would have to accept absurdities

Physic powers, talking to the dead, ghosts, 'energy healing,' bloodletting, penis envy, mind reading, existence of Santa Claus... (sorry to burst your bubble!)

If 'truth relativism,' non-truth relativism?

If Bob says that the truth is relative from person to person, can't Sue simply say that the truth is not relative from person to person?
'On' truth relativism, neither is right!

Truth relativism is self-refuting!

After all, isn't the statement 'there is no truth' a truth in itself? The statement 'truth differs from person to person' faces similar problems.

All who deny the existence of a wall could get into a car and drive straight into the wall at a speed proportional to their lack of belief...

- Philosopher and Mathematician Bertrand Russell (paraphrase)

Understanding three,

One person's truth may not be the same as

another's. There is no objective truth. Truth is relative. is defeated.

...but what about understanding two? How persons see the world is how the world actually is 'for them.'

Since an external reality exists [recall realism], the phrase true for you is incoherent. Something is either true or not true [recall law of excluded middle]. Facts are not so just because everyone believes. (The earth isn't flat even if everyone believes it to be so!)

The accurate understanding of 'perception is reality' is Individuals' beliefs constitute how they believe the world actually is.
Adler and Freud were right. Rogers and neo-Fruedians were mistaken. Our textbook authors were very confused when they wrote about parsimony and scientific advancements.

Psychological Applications
A client has been abused throughout his life... he sees the world as fundamentally unjust. A client has had many negative experiences with Latin-Americans... she thinks Latin-Americans are 'bad people.'

A client was attacked by a pitbull... he believes all pitbulls are very dangerous

All of the clients mentioned have distorted views about reality.

They believe their views are accurate.

Alas, 'perception is reality,' but this is how they see the world, not how the world actually is

Some Concerns...

The truth is difficult [or maybe impossible] to attain about some matters.

People can't be persuaded.

Personal opinions/tastes/favorites

Cultural factors

Value judgments

Tolerance, Diversity, Pluralism

Truth changes

Religion, Politics, Morality

There is no reason whatsoever to think that believing the truth is always impossible; the best that could be claimed is that there is no guarantee in any given case that we have achieved the state of believing the truth.
- Jonathan Kvanvig

Questions? Comments? Concerns?