Maybe the reality we perceive is just a tiny shadow of what actually is real
The physical and the metaphysical debate has been a part of our lives for a long time now. Over the years, it has created some different belief systems within us. This blog is about the 3 different types of perspectives, known as Monism, Dualism, and Functionalism. Along with which I would like to elaborate on which of these perspectives I believe in and what led me to my perspective.
To begin with, Monism is a perspective where one tends to only believe the reality/Universe is either physical or mental (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2016: p.76). According to Monists, they either see the world as something completely spiritual or completely materialistic, called idealism or materialism respectively (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2016: p.76). The next perspective is known as Dualism and this is the belief where one argues that reality can be perceived as both physical and mental at the same time (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2016: p.76). Dualists may also believe one of the realms (physical or mental) being superior to the other, such as the theory of Descartes mentioning that it is the mind that controls our body/bodily actions and not vice-versa (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2016: p.79). And the third perspective, known as Functionalism, is the idea that both the mental and the physical state may exist but the mental state is independent of the physical state (Friedenberg & Silverman, 2016: 86-87).
When it comes to which perspective I believe in and follow currently, Dualism is the closest to it. The idea that the Universe can be seen as both spiritual and physical is what I believe in. I understand how we, the people, have the brain and its physical features that help us to feel, sense, see, etc., and on the other hand have the soul or mind as something non-materialistic that can be perceived as our consciousness for example. I, as a dualist, believe that the mind and body are two different states of us and have different purposes. Moreover, I also believe that the reality we perceive is very different and limited compared to the ‘real’ world, such as the example of “Plato’s Allegory of the Cave”. Plato implied that our interpretation of reality is just the shadow of objects in front of a fire, inspired by the real world (Plato. Rouse, W.H.D (ed.), p.365-401). Being a Muslim, based on Islamic beliefs and scriptures, it is believed that the mentioned ‘real’ and superior reality can only be perceived after our death and that our physical death does not mean the death of our soul. Rather, the soul is said to separate from our physical body and that is when it transfers to God or the ‘real’ world, also known as the afterlife, in Islamic terms. (Buturovic, 2016: p.34), (Holy Qur'an, 2001, 56:83, 32:11, 2:156).
Allegory of the cave: Artistic Depiction.(https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cq_auto:eco%2Cw_700/MTc0NjQ3MDM1NDk5MTI4MTg2/theory-of-the-forms.webp)
My beliefs regarding the existence of the other spiritual world, or simply God (Allah in my case), were initially influenced through my family. I come from a Muslim family and from the beginning, I was told that God exists and is beyond our imagination. At that time, my understanding of the philosophical representation of reality or perspectives such as Monism or Functionalism was very limited. The entirety of my belief was based on my family’s influence. With time, the way I grasp the ideas of God’s existence changed, but my ultimate belief did not. My understanding of the physical world and the spiritual world developed as I read scriptures from my religion and parts of other religions. The fact that we can biologically explain the operations of our mind, or our emotions through the features of our (physical) brain convinces me about the physical aspect of our reality or the reality we can directly perceive. On the other hand, events like the arrival of Angel Jibreel (A.S )to the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and the fact that Muhammad got to experience a part of the superior reality (Sahih Muslim 8a, Book 1, Hadith 1) make me understand the spiritual side of my belief. Although my spiritual beliefs may not be explained by the best of concrete evidence, I chose to have faith regarding it, some of which may still be through the influence of my family.
Therefore, I conclude that my perspective of the Universe is the closest to Dualism, substance dualism to be more specific and my knowledge of religious scriptures and concepts of the physical world led me to my perspective.
References
1. Friedenberg, J., Silverman, G., & Spivey, M. J. (2016). Cognitive science: an introduction to the study of mind. Sage Publications.
2. The Qur’an, Oxford World’s Classics edition, 2008.
3. Plato. Rouse, W.H.D. (ed.). The Republic Book VII. Penguin Group Inc. pp. 365–401.
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