realities

Realities denotes the different ways in which beings recognize, experience, and organize existence. While reality is often treated as a single objective state, the plural form realities acknowledges that multiple, interacting domains produce distinct depictions of what is real.

Physical reality refers to the material world described by the natural sciences, including objects, processes, and forces that exist independently of individual minds. Perceived or experiential reality denotes the subjective experience of individuals—their senses, thoughts, and interpretations—which can vary across people and cultures. Social reality consists of the institutions, practices, and meanings that arise from collective human agreement, such as laws, monetary systems, and social roles; these can persist even when underlying conditions change.

Technology has expanded the sense of realities through virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and other simulations that create or overlay experienced environments. In philosophy, debates concern the nature of reality: realism, anti-realism, and constructivism address whether theories describe an external world, merely organize experiences, or depend on social conventions. Scientific realism argues that well-supported theories increasingly approximate an objective reality, while instrumentalist or constructivist views emphasize the utility or social basis of scientific knowledge.

Realities interact and shift across cultures, languages, and contexts, influencing ethics, policy, and everyday decision-making. Understanding realities often requires attention to how physical, perceptual, social, and technological domains shape what is considered real, and how these domains inform and constrain each other in practice.