Irreality

Irreality is a term used to describe the state or quality of not being real or lacking objective existence. In philosophy, it refers to debates about how things appear versus how they exist independently of perception. The term is often employed to discuss theoretical constructs, entities in thought experiments, or phenomena that are claimed to be unreal within a given framework. Irreality is not a single theory but a label that can indicate epistemic or ontological questions about the status of objects, properties, or events.

In psychology, irreality commonly enters discussions of derealization, a subjective experience in which the external world seems unfamiliar, dreamlike, or unreal. Derealization can occur episodically or be part of a broader dissociative or anxiety-related condition, and may be accompanied by depersonalization, emotional numbing, or altered perception of time and space. Clinically, persistent or distressing symptoms may warrant evaluation for a derealization/depersonalization disorder.

In literature and the arts, irreality denotes a mode in which ordinary rules of time, space, and causality are suspended. It is closely associated with surrealism, magical realism, dream sequences, and other devices that challenge conventional notions of reality and invite interpretation rather than empirical verification.

Etymologically, irreality is formed from the prefix ir- plus reality. Related terms include illusion, unreality, nonreality, fantasy, hallucination, and skepticism about the external world. Philosophical discussions of irreality often intersect with realism, anti-realism, phenomenology, and idealism.

Related topics include unreality, illusion, derealization, depersonalization, surrealism, magical realism, realism, and anti-realism.