Back in the early 70’s I had a live-in boy friend, who was a philosophy student. His father was a famous philosopher, was a Hegel expert.
Hegel, I hear, is one of the most impenetrable philosopher to me. The family, father and three sons, had regular philosophy lessons.
I am not interested in philosophy, not a debating/argumentative person, but lately I am encountering philosophical questions that are at the root of my teaching: teaching you to be in harmony with life, teaching you to live a happy life. ((Here is an interesting philosophical article, that I chewed myself through… not pragmatist at all.))
One of the most important questions here is what is reality, what is real, because all that unhappiness we experience comes from what is not real. ((re·al·i·ty noun
the world or the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.
“he refuses to face reality”
synonyms: the real world, real life, actuality; More
truth;
physical existence
“distinguishing fantasy from reality”
antonyms: fantasy
a thing that is actually experienced or seen, especially when this is grim or problematic.
plural noun: realities
synonyms: fact, actuality, truth
a thing that exists in fact, having previously only existed in one’s mind.
the quality of being lifelike or resembling an original.
synonyms: verisimilitude, authenticity, realism, fidelity, faithfulness
antonyms: idealism
2.
the state or quality of having existence or substance.
“youth, when death has no reality”))
Of course, given our sensory organs and their limitations, the fact that most of reality lives in the invisible, and given our propensity ((noun: propensity; plural noun: propensities
an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way.
“a propensity for violence”
synonyms: tendency, inclination, predisposition, proneness, proclivity, readiness, liability, disposition, leaning, weakness)) for having thoughts that have emotional effect on us, we have NO IDEA what is really real what isn’t.
I am a pragmatist…
SOURCE: click to continue reading Reality… the pragmatic approach that makes you happy