For the Mind, Reality Is Whole
85
of observers, then what is actually real in the world? That is the key question
that we must now attempt to answer.
As we have seen, the shapes of objects, as well as their structure, are not
material aspects of the objects, but are located elsewhere—in observers that
survey the objects from an external perspective. Most importantly, if an object
is complex, its organization is not an aspect of the object itself but dwells in
the observer who perceives it as a Gestalt whole. This fact is vehemently at
odds with our most basic intuitions. The living observer projects what he sees
onto the external world, and attributes his vision of reality to the things around
him. If he perceives complexity in the objects he discerns, it is quite natural
to assume that it is the objects themselves, as material bodies, that have the
complex structure he observes. But this assumption is wrong.
Other aspects of the physical world, too, are rooted in perception. The
notion of force in physics is based on the effort needed to move a heavy object.
Such feelings are the foundations which support scientific concepts. Without
these underlying sensations to give them meaning, the concepts of science
would be empty of content. If it were not linked to a sensation of effort, force
would be reduced to a pure abstraction. Our notion of the hardness of a solid
object is based on the sensation we experience when we touch it. Indeed, all
the features of objects are based on the sensations we experience when we
manipulate them.
The external universe, outside the scope of observation by any living being,
is the residue after all sensable qualities have been taken away. What remain are
only formal entities which have no concrete interpretation. Thus, the universe
uncoupled from observation is an abstract system in search of an interpretation.
Living beings provide the semantics—the interpretation—of physical reality.
Most crucially, it is the living observer that has the unique singularity of being
able to perceive in Gestalts, and thereby enriches the universe by bringing to
light all composite, multi-part things. Contrary to common sense, structure
and complexity are not indwelling aspects of matter but arise in perception.
The material universe, of course, has an independent existence quite apart
from observers. But the important lesson for us is that this external universe
is very different from the way we imagine it to be. The mind of living beings
projects all manner of sensable features onto material objects, hence we perceive
the world with all the properties we have projected onto it—but objectively
the unobserved universe is formless and featureless.
The universe outside the purview of any observer cannot be described in
any way, for in order to describe something it must have particularities and
characteristics. If we cannot describe it, we cannot imagine it or picture it. At
this point, all we can say is that it has causal power to act on living beings, and
85
of observers, then what is actually real in the world? That is the key question
that we must now attempt to answer.
As we have seen, the shapes of objects, as well as their structure, are not
material aspects of the objects, but are located elsewhere—in observers that
survey the objects from an external perspective. Most importantly, if an object
is complex, its organization is not an aspect of the object itself but dwells in
the observer who perceives it as a Gestalt whole. This fact is vehemently at
odds with our most basic intuitions. The living observer projects what he sees
onto the external world, and attributes his vision of reality to the things around
him. If he perceives complexity in the objects he discerns, it is quite natural
to assume that it is the objects themselves, as material bodies, that have the
complex structure he observes. But this assumption is wrong.
Other aspects of the physical world, too, are rooted in perception. The
notion of force in physics is based on the effort needed to move a heavy object.
Such feelings are the foundations which support scientific concepts. Without
these underlying sensations to give them meaning, the concepts of science
would be empty of content. If it were not linked to a sensation of effort, force
would be reduced to a pure abstraction. Our notion of the hardness of a solid
object is based on the sensation we experience when we touch it. Indeed, all
the features of objects are based on the sensations we experience when we
manipulate them.
The external universe, outside the scope of observation by any living being,
is the residue after all sensable qualities have been taken away. What remain are
only formal entities which have no concrete interpretation. Thus, the universe
uncoupled from observation is an abstract system in search of an interpretation.
Living beings provide the semantics—the interpretation—of physical reality.
Most crucially, it is the living observer that has the unique singularity of being
able to perceive in Gestalts, and thereby enriches the universe by bringing to
light all composite, multi-part things. Contrary to common sense, structure
and complexity are not indwelling aspects of matter but arise in perception.
The material universe, of course, has an independent existence quite apart
from observers. But the important lesson for us is that this external universe
is very different from the way we imagine it to be. The mind of living beings
projects all manner of sensable features onto material objects, hence we perceive
the world with all the properties we have projected onto it—but objectively
the unobserved universe is formless and featureless.
The universe outside the purview of any observer cannot be described in
any way, for in order to describe something it must have particularities and
characteristics. If we cannot describe it, we cannot imagine it or picture it. At
this point, all we can say is that it has causal power to act on living beings, and