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Consider the following truth table.

I am hungry My eyes are closed
0 0
0 1
1 0
1 1

Each row is possible. But that seems to me like an incomplete statement. Instead, I think it makes more sense to say each row is possible in reality. But this leads me to my question. What is meant by saying something is possible in reality?

I might be hungry in the current moment in time, or I might not be hungry in the current moment in time. Similarly, my eyes might be closed in the current moment in time, or my eyes might not be closed in the current moment in time.

So reality in the context of my question seems to have something to do with the current moment in time. But this raises additional questions like "what is time", "does 'the current moment in time' make sense according to the theory of relativity?".

Let A be a statement. A statement symbolizes a proposition. A proposition is true or false but not true and false simultaneously. The word 'simultaneously' thus falls in the domains of logic and physics.

Let |A| mean the current truth value of the proposition denoted by A.

|A|=1 means the proposition denoted by A is currently true.

Thus Einstein's theory affects the meaning of 'truth' as well.

Although I have raised many questions, I am only concerned with one. What does it mean to say something is possible in reality. The notion of 'possible' falls in the domain of modal logic, which Einstein was unfamiliar with. So answers using SQML will be most appreciated.

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    You are asking us to tell you what you mean by a phrase you made up?
    – David Gudeman
    Commented Jun 21 at 20:12
  • "Possible" does mean "in reality". Outside of reality, anything goes. Or you could ask "are all these four states possible in Dungeons and Dragons?"
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Jun 21 at 21:11
  • Please define "reality". People ask questions about "god", without stopping to consider what other people understand by "god" (which is supposedly beyond human understanding, and therefore impossible to define). In both cases, they are subjective, because understanding changes during your lifetime.
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Jun 21 at 21:15
  • @WeatherVane, I wanted philosophers to use my example truth table to figure out the meaning of reality in that phrase to see if anyone came up with my answer, which is Reality is the current moment in time.
    – lee pappas
    Commented Jun 21 at 22:45
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    Well, the universe does make sense from time to time, and then we are content – until there are new facts or events to disturb it. But it's your model: subjective. It's more likely that you are in a fool's paradise , because it is ephemeral.
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Jun 21 at 23:19

1 Answer 1

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You say:

I think it makes more sense to say each row is possible in reality. But this leads me to my question. What is meant by saying something is possible in reality?

Only you can know what you mean by the phrase "possible in reality" such that it makes more sense to say that than merely "possible."

We cannot tell you what you mean when you say that.

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  • use your nterpretation of the truth table to assign the phrase "possible in reality" a meaning that is the same or different from mine
    – lee pappas
    Commented Jun 21 at 20:16

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