What makes something 'real'?

[dreamz Veteran]

There's no such thing as "real". If the question is what defines an illusion or what is based in our own "reality" even that cannot be defined.

that's not a sufficient criterion. just because we can't define it doesn't mean there is no reality. it may be that our procedure for determination is incomplete, but that is hardly evidence of an unreality.

We all live day by day accepting what we believe is our reality (even if we do question it from time to time), but simply put our minds are not capable of understanding where the line is drawn.

even this presupposes an understanding of reality. that is to say, to determine that our minds are incapable presupposes knowledge of what could constitute such a capability.

Think of time.. Does it exist? We percieve a beginning, and an end.. Yet science teaches us that time is not linear.. So thus time is an "illusion". But to us it is "reality" because we are trapped inside of it unable to move between time.

whether or not time exists is independent of the question of beginning/end, and independent of whether it is linear or not. those are separate issues. furthermore, to say that time is non-linear is not to say that it is necessarily an illusion. that does not follow.

the reality of time presupposes an understanding of reality, not of beginnings and ends or non-linearity.

the same objection applies to the rest of your post.

Look at my sig.

Our beliefs and convictions constitute reality...What I believe is "real" isn't necessary real to you. Don't try to understand. What you believe is real, is real.

people keep confusing constitution with relation. beliefs do not CONSTITUTE reality, no more than disbelief constitutes unreality. to say, e.g., that i disbelieve in x is not to say that x does not exist or that x is not real. moreover, a belief is not prima facie reality. just because you believe x does not mean that x is real. you can believe x without x being real. i don't think there is any philosophical tradition that exalts beliefs in this manner.