To DoctorDick et al,
What can we know of reality ? Not a great deal as it happens.
We can only make constructs and attempt proofs of the constructs we believe to be true through Mathematics (a test of rationalism) and also through experiment (a test of empiricism).
We cant even know if reality is real but the consideration of the question is ultimately fruitless in that nothing would ever get done if your world view is 'reality isn't real nothing really matters'.
You are kind of forced by a serious of reward and punishments to accept reality is real.
For example
If you do work that ends up in you getting food and drink. You survive.(reward)
If you dont do work and recieve no food and drink. You die. Rather painfully.
(punishment)
(the term 'work' is being used in a way even if you are not currently employed such as foraging for food and water or going to the shops and buying some)
But whether death and life have any ultimate meaning is a question that cannot be answered in any logical or meanigful way. That is to say we cannot know they have meaning or not.
All we can do is create constructs that through consensus we 'believe' to be 'true'.
Such as the sky is blue or 1+1 = 2.
According to Plato knowledge is a subset of of 'belief' and 'truth' and I agree with this statement.
So statements like 1+1=2 or the sky is blue.
Form knowledge as they are by consensus of opinion both 'believed' and 'true'.
Statements like 'You go to heaven when you die' are only part of the set of 'beliefs' and cannot form the set of 'truths' as it is not possible to prove both mathematically and through experiment by consensus of opinion that this statement is 'true' and therefore cannot be knowledge.
This is not to say that statements like 'You go to heaven when you die' are not true but simply you cannot 'know' they are 'true'.
This my opinion on the subject sorry I am coming at it a bit late in the day.
But it's very interesting, so I thought I would add my thoughts to it.
Cheers
