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submitted 2 weeks ago by Laura@lemmy.ml to c/philosophy@lemmy.ml

This is something I've been wondering lately:
Can a question—or observation itself—bring reality into being, rather than just reveal it?

A recent paper I came across explores this idea from a scientific angle. It suggests that "reality" might not be fully real until there's a certain structural correlation between the observer and what is being observed.

That sounds abstract, I know. But in this view, observation isn't just passive—it helps stabilize what we call reality.

I wrote a short essay (in English) summarizing the idea:
👉 https://medium.com/@takamii26_37/do-questions-create-reality-on-observation-reality-and-the-shape-of-consciousness-7a9a425d2f41

Would love to hear what others think. Does this resonate with any philosophical frameworks you know of?

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[-] Laura@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago

Thank you for such a thoughtful and sincere comment. I really appreciate the openness of how you approached this.

Just to say upfront, I’m not an academic and I don’t claim any formal or specialized training. Still, I genuinely enjoy having careful, serious conversations with people who are thinking honestly about these questions.

I think your example captures something very real: a question can meaningfully reshape how someone experiences their world, by reorganizing attention, meaning, and interpretation. Once a question is introduced, it can change what stands out and how connections are perceived.

Where I’m still reflecting is on a gentle distinction between how reality is experienced and how facts themselves are constituted. I fully agree that questions can transform the former, and I’m curious how far that transformation should be taken when we talk about reality itself.

In any case, I really value the spirit of your comment — this kind of thoughtful exchange is exactly why I’m here.

this post was submitted on 19 Jan 2026
9 points (76.5% liked)

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