this post was submitted on 27 Jan 2026
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Reality Is a Shared Hallucination—And It’s at Risk of Collapsing, Scientist Claims (www.popularmechanics.com)
submitted 22 hours ago by HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works to c/science@lemmy.world
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Scientists are considering the idea that our perception of reality is shaped not only by our senses but by our brains creating an internal map or model of the world around us.

This means our perception of what’s true or real is malleable, and we are at risk of losing our grasp on it. The result can be tragedies like the Jonestown mass suicide and Nazi Germany.

Some philosophers think that evolution cares more about how to survive than about any accurate version of reality, which can lead to “useful fictions” about the world.

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[–] tonytins@pawb.social 5 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

So the simulation theory has a grain of truth to it? Just not in the way we thought?

[–] FiniteBanjo@feddit.online 12 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

Simulation Theory is that we all live in a simulation.

The above article just says each person simulates their own internal model of the world around them.

[–] tonytins@pawb.social 7 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

That's why I made sure to caveat it with a "grain a truth." Not saying it's exactly the same, only that it does share some similarities.

[–] saimen@feddit.org 3 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

No they are two completely distinct theories which only both use the word simulate but in a completely different context. And one is not more true than the other because both are just philosophical ideas.

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 1 points 11 hours ago

one is not more true than the other because both are just philosophical ideas.

I think I disagree. One is a basically untestable hypothesis, the other is pretty much the closest we can come to objective truth.

[–] JennyLaFae@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 21 hours ago

Reality is a rendering of the hivemind