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Is there in existence any set of physical parameters which can be measured, which would enable one to determine whether or not reality by itself is a dream?

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    If relity is a drem, there are no physical parameters to be measured. Commented Jan 13, 2018 at 18:11
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    Well if you dream that you measured something, how would you know your measurement is a dream? I'd imagine that professional experimental physicists dream of measuring things all the time.
    – user4894
    Commented Jan 13, 2018 at 22:24
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    Reality cannot be a dream. What we think of as Reality could be, and if we think of Reality as the physical world then many say it is. There is no test for falsifying this theory, as we see from the plot-line of the Matrix. Whether this is because of the lints of the tests or because it is in fact a dream is not an empirical question since if it is a dream so are our senses. .
    – user20253
    Commented Jan 16, 2018 at 10:05
  • The only test would be to take up meditation and explore who is doing the dreaming and asking the question. . .
    – user20253
    Commented Jan 16, 2018 at 10:07
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    Possible duplicate of Are we living in a simulation? The evidence
    – CriglCragl
    Commented Feb 15, 2018 at 17:02

3 Answers 3

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No, this is impossible. Any measurement made would have to be interpreted by a subjective experience that is subject to manipulation by one's dream.

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    One's act of dreaming would also interpret the measurement. Is the dream separate from the dreamer? Do you have a reference to other literature related to your perspective? Commented Aug 17, 2018 at 3:38
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Yes. Take a glass full of water and let it fall and shatter on the floor. Pick up the glass and drink the water. If you can do it, it's a dream. If you can't, it's reality.

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    "I refute it thus!"
    – user935
    Commented Jan 16, 2018 at 15:44
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    So you say it is impossible to dream that you cannot drink from a shattered glass of water? I strongly doubt that.
    – celtschk
    Commented Mar 17, 2018 at 11:11
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This article offers a possible answer - meditation should be possible even in a dream that isn't recognised as such, and lead to being 'more awake' by observing the minds operations on the world vs the world presented by our senses https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/a-buddhist-sleep-lesson-a_b_428653 In this Buddhist perspective there is more and less dream-like, and this can be observed subjectively.

Lucid dreamers talk about things like digital displays and the operation of light switches being giveaways - though it sounds like there is a lot of variation between dreamers to me.

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