My Belief in Realism

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    Recently I watched a video that presented the Realism Theory.  You can watch this video by clicking here.

    In case you are like I usually am (and didn't watch the video) let me explain briefly what the video was about.  Pretty much it simply presents the fact that we don't know for sure that anything is real.  We can feel what's around us, and we can hear things...  but no one can know that it is in fact real, and not made up by our own mind.  The idea that what we can touch, see, hear, taste, and smell are in fact a part of reality is called the Realism Theory.  The idea that we can, in fact, see reality and are currently experiencing it is only, in all reality, a theory.

    In the video it presents a case where a woman got out of serving time in jail because she was convinced that she was living in the matrix and that her actions didn't matter or hurt anyone.  Obviously she was labeled as crazy.  But the strange thought is that maybe she isn't crazy and those, including myself, who believe in reality as we see and feel it are truly the 'crazy' ones.  In that case most of humanity would be crazy. 

    This leads me to discuss the question my mind presented to myself:  "Why should I continue to believe in Realism if I don't know its true?"  This question is one that is very simple for me to answer.  I answer it like I answer myself when I am logically picking apart religion. 

    My answer is:  "Why not?"

    Now this may seem to not be a very satisfactory answer, however for me it is sufficient.  I come to it by putting aside the fact that I may be a disembodied spirit in a trancelike state somewhere in a real person's pocket, and by realizing that even though I don't know what exactly is going on outside of my own head...  what I choose to believe may actually be the truth. 

    Thus, what I choose to believe is chosen because I want to be happy and as good of a person as I can.  I choose to believe in the Realism Theory because if it is in fact real then I can live through my life being a good person and not hurting people.  What I do will actually matter and effect others.  If I chose not to believe in the Realism Theory then what would keep me from hurting others?  If none of what I experience is real, then why should I treat others kindly? 

    Because I do choose to believe in the idea that what I sense is in fact real, and I wish to be the best person I can be...  I do in fact care about how I act, and how my actions affect others.