An old friend of mine recently blogged on the complexities of understanding life on two levels. He describes life as being a fairy tale
, but that the greater reality of life is on the "real level" of physical and chemical processes. I disagree. The Truth is very simple, but reality has been corrupted during the Fall.
Why does the story of life have to be separate from the mundane processes and physicality that provides the foundation for the story? The primary reason I can think of for this to be necessary is that we perceive things in such general and abstract terms despite the seemingly deterministic nature of the universe. However, just because that's how we normally think, doesn't mean those are any less reality than any other generalization we make. You can say something like "most fatal accidents happen within a mile of your home" and yet the details of whether you ever have or know someone who has a fatal accident are the details that make that statistic what it is. The point of view differs, but they are both facets of the same reality.
The same goes for our perception of reality. Just because we have thoughts that are comprised of the electrical currents and chemical synapses of the brain doesn't mean that these are separate concepts. They're just different perspectives of the same realities.
On the other hand, I do agree with the idea that life is a story. As C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien understood, each person's life is just one detail of the Great Story. The Great Story is the abstract, big-picture point of view, while each individual chapter in each individual person's life, in the events of the natural universe, and in the details of the quantum dynamics of each particle make up the "mundane" elements of this Story. The Great Story is being told by the Living God who exists on the outside as the Story Teller and each of us serve as characters in this Story.
However, we each have the ability to shape our part of our story by making choices as they are presented to us. Will we be villains? Or heroes? Or just act in supporting roles for good or ill? Sometimes our roles seem to be chosen for us. Sometimes it seems we have too many choices to make. However, regardless of how we play our part, God weaves us into the Great Story and will declare The End once the story achieves the perfection He knew it would become.
Cheers.
Realities entwined
Wow! Someones *does* read my blog from time to time. Oh...and even more importantly: congrats on the birth of Gabe! Neat vid and I'll have to see if I can swing by sometime during break with a 0th birthday gift! Health to the mother and son! (and father)
As for the post, certainly these are not separate realities. Rather, they are different realities inasmuch as they are perceptualized (did I just make up that word?) by various people. The Perceptual Level can hardly be excaped and though we all view it from different angles, we all view essentially the same thing. The underlying Real Level is inextricably intertwined with the Perceptual Level, but much less scrutinized or sought after in efforts to explain or affect the Perceptual Level. Indeed, as you say, viewing the workings of the brain as thoughts (Perceptual Level) or synaptic reactions (Real Level) doesn't make them separate concepts, merely contrasting views of the same concepts. One is essentially romanticized and fairy-tale-esque, if you will. The other is precise, scientific, and rather 'cold'. Both can be considered accurate.
On the Perceptual Level, life is full of choices. Choices are available at every turn. One can choose to make the best of each and every situation, or choose not to. Just as you say in the last paragraph before your sign-off, we can choose our role as villians or heroes or any number of roles in between. Of course, each decision will make us both villian and hero, depending on who is watching.
So to this point, it appears that we essentially agree. The point at which I would differ is the role of God. Rather than being an outside 'Story Teller', I feel that God is the Great Story and the Great Story is God. Each speck of each atom within this universe is a piece of God, and thus a piece of the Great Story. As we live our lives and drink of new experiences, the Great Story becomes more enriched and deepens on resonance and richness.
Small differences in quality
I would say that we still differ in some qualitative ways on our views of the two "levels," unless I've misunderstood. I don't see the perceptual level as "romanticized" or "fairy-tale-esque." Such terminology suggests that these are less real, less valuable. The very language of choosing to call one "perceptual" and the other "real" makes the latter out to be the superior and more accurate view.
I say both are the "real level," but that better terminology would be that one is "abstract" and the other is "concrete." I also say both are the "perceptual level," since both are filtered through our perceptions. Some people delude themselves and think that scientifically measured details are somehow free of perception because of their reproducibility. Yet, reproducibility merely makes them reliable observations (i.e., perceptions). All of reality is filtered and interpreted by our perceptions. It is the nature of what we humans are. This also doesn't mean that reality is subjective, but that our view of the objective universe will always be understood subjectively.
As for the difference in our understanding of "God," that is a very clear-cut difference. I do not believe that a finite thing (the universe) is capable of self-creation or of self-existence. On the other hand, I do believe that a single Infinite Being (God) is capable of self-existence and can create all of the finite things we observe around us.
I believe that God chooses to reveal himself through the various details and natures of the universe (e.g., man is created in His own image), which might lead one to confuse the creation for the Creator. Add to this the very nature of corrupt man which denies God's sovereignty because it infringes upon one's own sovereignty and the persistence and lust of Satan who enjoys confusing and blinding members of creation and you have a species mostly made up of blind and confused people.
Since disagreement with God is a God-given right, you are free to disagree.