What is reality?

[norma171]

The major theme in Ender's game is obviously the video games. For most the book, Ender believes that the games are just that; a game. It shocks him later on when he learns that it is not just a game he is playing, it is reality. What does this mean to you about OUR reality?

[Rodaka]

Welcome to PhiloticWeb

I think it can lead to a metaphor for what happens between people quite a lot. I find friend after friend saying "Oh, it's just a game we play, whoever comes up with the bigger insult wins!" But it ends up being one sided. To the other person it wasn't a game, and it hurt really bad, and absolutely destroyed the friendship.

If that makes sense.

[ptr.arkanian]

i think its easy to say that OUR reality is definitely not in video games...

if you this COD and Left for Dead are real you need to seek mental help immediately..

whereas, in Ender's case, the video games are like real life scenarios. kind of like i would compare it to grand theft auto or a game of that sort because people actually do steal cars. in fact, people have sucessfully stolen cars the same way they beat that video game. Just the same way as Ender defeated the formics by beating the simulator.

But in Ender's case, he thinks the simulator is just another video game like our COD or Left for Dead. Now image what we would think if we found out that was real, we would be pretty shocked too...

[Ended]

If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then 'real' is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain

i guess that's a little different to what's being discussed, but still