Do you feel that we learn and perceive reality totally from our senses, or is it from rational assumptions based on prior facts that we already know to be true.
Is it our senses, or is it logic that brings us truth? If its logic, what is it based on?
I think we learn and perceive reality mostly through assumptions based on prior knowledge. This is true because when we see a sign stating "STOP" at an intersection, our knowledge of driving and experience tells us to stop or suffer the consequences. We can use experiences of the past to ensure success in the future. With that being said, our senses do play a role in the perception of truth, but it is our logic that forces us to make the right decisions.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely. I was having a hard time trying to find the right words to describe what I was thinking until I read your last sentence: "our senses do play a role in the perception of truth, but it is our logic that forces us to make the right decisions." We only use our senses to back up facts we already assumed to be true. We use OTHER peoples experiences to benefit OURSELVES. We can learn from each others mistakes, so we wouldn't need to experience it for ourselves to prove it true.
DeleteI agree with McKenzie. We learn how to live our daily lives the way our parents taught us how to live. We gain all of this knowledge from their previous experiences. I do believe senses may have a huge impact on our lives though. For instance, with the stove, we were told not to touch it because it's hot but if someone does touch it they find out truly how hot it is and therefore will be more cautious because of experience than someone who just does so out of knowledge. I also agree our senses bring us truth.
ReplyDeleteReality is such a tricky conception. No one really knows what reality or the truth is, so I think each individual makes his/her own reality. Some people obviously live in a fantasy world while others are very practical. I agree that this is a direct result of upbringing. People who live in seemingly unrealistic domains do so because such a way of life is the only thing they know. Therefore, I think reality is based on experience. On the other hand, I believe senses give us truth. The senses provide us with knowledge of pain and happiness. People need, however, to be exposed to the world in order to allow their senses to take over and play a role in finding reality. Overall, I think a mix of both sense and experience is needed to have a meaningful life and reality.
ReplyDeleteDr. Crozier said...
ReplyDeleteBut if there are only a limited number of "real truths" (like Descartes thought) then we would not even need sensory experience to rationalize further truths.
On the other hand if there are no "real truths" other than those we perceive by our senses, (like Locke, Berkeley and Hume thought), then the only reality can be sensory reality - even though we don't actually know what it is.
But Kant, like the three of you above, believed that reality was a "combination" between some real truths and some sensory truths. However, to be "in the middle" is kind of like being in the same middle between some of our past arguments, like free will and determinism, and between moral absolutes and complete moral relativism. Its okay to side with both, and you can do it - but the two sides are opposite, and to be in the middle it somewhat contradictory (in the eyes of some radical epistemologists on both sides of this complicated problem).
Myself, I just want to go boating soon, and maybe fish for bluegills!
I believe reality is a combination of the two, not completely one of the other. It's true that we as humans learn and grow from experience. Still, each person decides what to believe and what is real to him or herself based on what they sense. We know what is right and wrong based on what this also. It seems to me that no one can agree on anything and humans rely on their thoughts, opinions, and senses constantly. We learn from the physical world, it's true, but our senses seem to guide us even more so.
ReplyDeleteI believe we learn from both our senses and rational assumptions based on prior facts. In my opinion they both contradict each other. All of us know and learn what to do based on prior facts our parents or teachers have taught us, but we do not completely learn the side effects/benefits without doing it ourselves. We as humans need to do to learn. We may believe we know so much just based off others stories experiences, but in reality we truly do not completely learn of a something fully unless we do it ourselves. Sort of like the saying, "I won't believe it until I see it." So all in all, I believe that it is our senses more than our logic that brings us truth.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Keisha. You can learn and hear from family or friends about how their vacation was to Africa, but you can't really know there is an Africa out there unless you yourself experience it. Maybe we're too gullible and believe everything we're told. As Dr. Crozier said in class the example of the two drunks and the great military hero, it was exactly opposite. Media only shows us what they want to as far as good and bad of people, How do we know they aren't just making up places and history along with that?
DeleteI think that in order for us to have any sort of reality, you have to have had an experience because that is what you consider to be normal. You aren't going to put your hand on a pipping hot stove because you know or have heard of the consequences. It is both logic and senses that bring us to reality; you sense that the stove is hot, and you also know it is not logical to put your hand on a hot stove.
ReplyDeleteI believe we obtain all our rational reasoning from experience, either good or bad.
I believe we learn from both. As Carly said we are humans and we learn and grow from experience. But as humans we also have the flaws of wanting to try things for ourselves to actually see if it's true or not. We know that running a stop sign has consequences but that doesn't mean that the one person who is a dare devil and wants to try it will learn from others. We learn from our senses when we want to experience the cause for ourselves, but yet, we also learn from logic when we do not want to suffer consequences. I believe depending on the situation we learn from either one, but I don't think we learn from both.
ReplyDeleteI feel it's both also. Before something was considered a "truth" someone had to perceive the reality using their senses, right? Most people know not to put their hand on a hot stove because they have either had an experience with it when they were young (senses) or have heard stories (truth, prior fact). Either way you know it's hot and you're going to get hurt. I feel as though while going through everyday life, we base reality on prior facts, things we already know are true, however, when put in a situation we are not use to or know little about we base reality on our senses, we rely on them to get us through the task.
ReplyDeleteI think that rational assumptions must be made to perceive reality. I believe logic brings us to truth and purity. I think this is based on our past experiences that must include some type of deeper thought. I also believe that we have a "plan" made out for us, so so types of truth and realizations of truth must come from a higher being or organizational plan.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely logic will bring us truth. I also agree that the truth comes from a higher power. Our past experiences play a big role when it comes to pain and emotional things. Logic steps in as well in both categories, but I believe logic is where everything will be completely clear.
DeleteI believe that we learn how to live our daily lives is throw experience. Someone can tell us not to do something because it is bad but most people don't believe it until they try it themselves.
ReplyDeleteI believe we learn from what we have been told to believe and then what we learn from our actual experiences, using our senses, expands our knowledge of what we were told. We make our own conclusions based on personal experience but first we are taught from other peoples perspectives. Prior experiences help us to decide how these new experiences compare to the past and together with a combination of logic we draw conclusions and learn new truths.
ReplyDeleteWe live through experience. People and groups try to tell people what to do, and some will listen and some wont. This is a touchy topic. There is obviously common sense with logic. All I know is that this makes my brain hurt.
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