Q&A: A True Dualist
A True Dualist
Question
Hello Rabbi,
According to my understanding, the dispute between materialists and idealists is about which creates which. Does consciousness create material reality, or does matter create conscious reality?
It seems that the core of their disagreement is over the question: what is more real—dreams, which exist only in consciousness, or a planet in a galaxy that no one has ever seen? According to materialism, the planet is more real, whereas according to idealism, the dreams are more real.
However, there is the dualist approach, in which both consciousness and matter exist in themselves. Since I see myself as a dualist (and it seems to me that the Rabbi is as well), I want to ask: what should a dualist’s attitude be toward dreams and imaginings in relation to planets? What is more real—are both equally real?
Answer
The categories in your question are not well defined. What does “more real” mean? I don’t know what “more or less real” means. I know what “real” means.
Discussion on Answer
I don’t understand what it means to say that matter/objects are created by consciousness. Consciousness brings their existence to my awareness. But it’s not that consciousness creates objects in the world.
What I mean by “more real” is: which creates which. As a dualist, should I see dreams and planets as each existing in themselves, or is one of them created by another factor—by consciousness or by matter?
Also, it seems to me that if something is created by another factor, one should assign it less importance.