Truth Quest: Perception
For most of us living a casual life, Truth is a matter of Perception. The filters of your perception determine what you believe is Truth.
In this Section, we look as many of the filters you may use to explain life in your view. These filters may enhance or distort your world view—they are like the viewfinders or kaleidoscopes of an earlier generation which enrich or focus our view of life. They could ‘colorize’, sharpen or replace what is before us sometimes without our awareness.
There is an alternate to perception which is to accept Revelation in place of Perception; Revelation is the following section.
As to the picture—artist painting image of himself—which is real? How do we see Truth? What’s the details?
In the following ‘glimpses’ on this page, simply click on the image next to the text to go to a Deeper Dive on that subject.
Perception Glimpses
Defining Perception
“Truth does not appear evident to us—we typically try to reshape it into an image of our desires.”
“Truth is either the result of perception or revelation but it cannot be both.”
Perception is the receiving of input and creating the understanding of what is received. You receive input through your senses, experience, education, socialization, expectations and the reinforcement of that input in ways that it becomes part of your belief of what is real. Part of the process may be sensory and subject to misinterpretation and both sensory and cognitive input can readily be made inaccurate through emotions, feelings or responses to the stimulations. On our About Us page, we mentioned what we refer to as the Cowsbell phenomenon which confuses our accuracy of understanding.
Revelation is the receiving of input from an accurate source without us adding our distortion. Yes, that is a lofty ideal but no more so that figuring it out from our own presumptions. The challenge in Revelation is the accuracy of the source and then the actions appropriately responding to that Truth.
In the following glimpses, we have jumping off summaries into four different quests for Truth to live in.
For additional on Perception:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perception
Existentialism
"Grabbing all the Gusto" isn't just a commercial message but is the core of existential perceptions. Experience is key and you give your experience value by your interpretation of it as it suits you. You are also able to evaluate the experience of others by your standard and not accept their standard for themselves.
The accompanying image is interpreted as lonely, isolated or calm, peaceful, restful depending upon you experience and viewpoint.
Click the image for a Deeper Dive on Extistentialism.
Enlightenment
"Come let us Reason together." That's Bible (Isaiah 1:18)! Certainly my reason, my ability to perceive Truth should be valid. But is that true? Did the Age of Enlightenment, the Age of Reason, open the way for us to find Truth on our own or are we mistaken on the accuracy of our understanding?
Click the image for a Deeper Dive on Enlightenment.
Philosophical
While the Age of Reason endeavored to draw from the observable, Philosophy goes into the realm of what might be, almost like the 'go boldly where no man has gone before'. Imagine creating your own perception by using the capabilities of your mind to expand beyond the sphere of experience and apply your thoughts to "What is Real" and then give it permission to be your life. You are the master of your soul.
Click the image for a Deeper Dive on Philosophical.