Galen Strawson - What Things are Real?

Is the physical world real? Some claim that the physical world is only an expression of consciousness. Is the mental world real? Some claim that human consciousness is an illusion, only the output of the physical brain playing tricks on us. Does a spiritual world exist? Many people reject anything beyond the physical.



Galen Strawson holds the President's Chair in Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin's College of Liberal Arts. He studied at the University of Cambridge before receiving his BPhil and DPhil in philosophy from the University of Oxford.


Closer to Truth presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.

[mickeybrumfield]

Besides being a professor of philosophy it looks like he would make a good bar tender.

[cqxx]

0:58 2:13 Here we go again the table, always the table, i starting to believe that is the only thing really exists

[peterpackiam]

Thanks for sharing your Brilliant series 'Closer To Truth', Dr, Robert. Cheers.

[dennistucker]

What Things are Real? This is a great question. To me, what is real is broken into 2 categories(tangible and intangible). Tangible includes things like matter and energy. Intangible includes things like patterns, thoughts and actions, space and time.

[drew-shourd]

Funny how his first guest got him to answer his own question...brilliant!

[melmill]

I cannot imagine life without this show now. What did I watch before this? Cannot even remember.

[waerlogauk]

If you wish to propose a separate category of stuff called immaterial, it's either interacts with the material world in which case it is functionally part of it thus not immaterial or it does not interact with the material world so can regarded as not real.

[johnstarrett]

Regarding the question "What are the fundamental things from which everything is constructed?" there is no more need to posit that everything is composed of fundamental things than there is to suppose there must be a luminiferous ether through which EM fields propagate.

[RolandHuettmann]

Well, going by Vedic philosophy, basic to Buddhism, Hinduism and other systems of belief, there is no difference as well -- all is just one field of energy. The "spiritual" world, forces of nature, characterized as "gods", are another layer of subtle physical reality until all merges into one pure state of energy which is beyond the idea of duality. In Veda, perception is called "illusion" - Maya. Breaking down "reality" into its components, you will find nothingness at its innermost layer -- or fullness -- depending on definition. Nothingness and total fullness are the same here. Both ends meet. But the cycle of illusion starts again.

Cosmic consciousness is that state of mind that fully realizes such underlying state of pure unbounded awareness -- an awareness that is aware of itself -- also called Nirvana in Buddhism.

Probably, the functioning of brain is a kind of detector, and when that detector is super-refined, it detects more of the nature of reality similar to a mirror without dust that will reflect an image without distortion.

Psychedelic experiences, meditation, all kinds of helpful techniques, can create states of the brain and consequently mind (the detector) to realize such reality usually hidden from view to the "normal" mind and brain.

There is no way to objectively measure experience itself. We can only measure its physical imprint. True scientists aim at analyzing -- splitting pieces apart -- being "objective" -- to come closer to truth while true artists only know to combine and be totally subjective. Both paths end at the same level of pure awareness.

The question of "why" remains unanswered. It may be the wrong question. It may be answered in a totally different way only. It will require another brain functioning, another level of consciousness. But it not unreachable according to Veda.

I congratulate for such search to be "closer to truth". Maybe it helps mankind to rise above such current level of misinformation and disintegration reflected by our current "dear leaders".

[bozo]

A sensible guest! Maybe we're getting closer to truth after all.

[khufu]

He had hit on something very important here. Many things we ~think are not physical, are physical in terms of what could be able to measure and manipulate. He also nailed everything is just a manifestation of energy (or the Flow). Very important point to remember the energy equivalence. The base "flow" energy we can not measure yet. But it is still Real. Same with the vibration of the Flow. Put the Flow and vibration/freq together and we have all we see. So the spirit realm, for example, could be just a different manifestation of the same Flow energy. So all connected and all measurable, we just just not there yet. He is also unifying dualism here, and think he is correct again.

[DestroManiak]

This man is so pleasant. I wish i was his friend ;-;

[mirceatim]

I don't care what he says, Youtube ads are very real

[lizzieball]

He said, "give me a reason why there are two fundamental things"...
There doesn't have to be a reason for two things to exist, instead of just one. Or, second thing may exist for the same reason as the first thing.

[quantumofspace]

I have a great idea! For the dark side of the Universe - suppose that it consists of short-term interactions in long-lived fractal networks, the smallest operators of quantum energy - spherical «rosebuds», consisting of a large number; 1 - rolled into a sphere, 2 - half folded into a sphere and 3 - flat, vibrating quantum membranes relative to their working centers in the sphere.

[abhishekshukla]

If you think it long and hard enough, what exist is the 'experience' of things. So the only true statement is consciousness exists as the fundamental reality as objects are absent without the subject [to experience them]. Therefore, consciousness is intrisincly connected to what exist and it is the only thing that exist but it is not a 'thing' at all. According to the Hindu texts of the Upanishads, the reality of consciousness can be described in negative terms only.. neti neti, not this not that. Advaita Vedanta or nonduality says that every 'thing' is a projection of consciousness including our gods and our various concepts of religion. Without 'You' being the reality they can't exist for their existence including Gods' must be confirmed by you first [paraphrasing Nisargadatta].

[devekhande]

QUANTUM BARTENDER... Present at two places simultaneously..!!

[genekelly]

The real question: are there beings that are not physical? All religions propose beings that are "spirits"-no physical bodies. Can a non-physical being influence a physical being?

[juliaalonzo]

it takes a miracle and some really complex, amazing stuff to come up with life...humans...it took something so gigantic like the big bang and other of million great stuff for life to take place.... how come I see lots of dumb and not so great things in the physical world, I can't believe that is the result of that amazing and great stuff... We are the result of that and frankly it's disappointing. War, Greed, too much politicizing, Racism, Sexism, abusive filthy rich people, celebrity worship...We are so divided and disgusting and a lot of us just won't admit to it.

[hishamgornass]

A video on entropy please dr Kuhn 😁😁😁😁♥️