What is Reality under RDD
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Reality (RDD)
In Recursive Distinction Dynamics, Reality is not a container of things. It is the set of persistent distinctions that survive repeated interaction with noise under constraint.
Reality ((\mathcal{R})) is the aggregate domain of all distinctions (\mathcal{D}) that satisfy the criterion of persistence under interaction.
[
\mathcal{R} = { \mathcal{D} \mid \Pi(\mathcal{D}) > \text{Noise}(\mathcal{D}) ;\text{given constraints} } > ]
Reality is therefore the sediment of successful dynamics: the structures that remain when transient fluctuations have decayed.
This note covers persistence, ontology, and pattern survival. It does not introduce new primitives.
Structural Introspection
Atoms Used (Declared Dependencies)
- What is Reality under RDD:
- Distinction
- Persistent Distinction
- Constraint
- Noise
- Entropy
- Time
- Existence
- Persistence Bias
This list represents explicit conceptual dependencies, not incidental mentions.
Atoms Referencing This Molecule (Backlinks)
| File | Atom | topics | created |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recursion | Recursion |
|
November 22, 2025 |
These atoms reference this molecule but may not be foundational to it.
Atom Mentions Not Declared as Dependencies
| File | Atom | topics |
|---|
If an atom appears here, consider whether it should be added to atoms:.
- Internal RDD synthesis: ☐
- External alignment (physics): ☐
- External alignment (philosophy): ☐
- External alignment (neuroscience): ☐
Confidence level
- ☐ Exploratory
- ☐ Provisional
- ☐ Stable
Core Insight
- Reality is not “what exists instantaneously,” but what persists.
- Persistence is not guaranteed; it is earned through resistance to noise.
- Stability is graded, not binary.
- Reality is the historical accumulation of patterns that survive.
To be real is to continue to affect the world across updates.
Connections
- Evolutionary Epistemology
Patterns survive because they work, not because they are chosen. - Decoherence and Classical Emergence
Classical reality arises from quantum dynamics through suppression of interference, not collapse by observation. - Simulation and Rendering Metaphors
Reality resembles a rendered output only insofar as it is the currently stabilized state of an underlying process.
These are analogies, not commitments.
Worked Example
Before (bad):
A rock is real because it is made of atoms.
A dream is not real because it is neural activity.
After (pattern applied):
A rock is high-persistence reality. Its distinction pattern has survived immense noise and interaction over long timescales.
A dream is low-persistence reality. It is real while it persists as a distinction within a perspective, but it lacks durability and collapses rapidly.
Conclusion:
Reality is a gradient of persistence, not a binary classification.
Anti-Patterns
- The Container Fallacy
Treating spacetime as a box in which reality resides.
Correction: spacetime is itself a stabilized distinction. - The Observer Trap
Claiming reality depends on conscious observers.
Correction: reality depends on persistence and interaction, not awareness. - The Material Bias
Equating reality with matter alone.
Correction: laws, constraints, and stable patterns can be more real than transient objects.
Conflicts
- Naïve substance ontologies that treat matter as ontologically primitive.
- Observer-dependent accounts of reality.
- Purely instrumentalist views that deny ontic persistence.
FAQ
- Is a hallucination real in RDD?
Yes, briefly. It exists as a distinction but fails to persist under interaction. - Does reality require a perspective?
No. Perspectives access reality; they do not create it. Persistence is ontic. - Can reality change?
Yes. As constraints, interactions, or noise regimes change, different distinctions persist.
References
Sources:
- Dennett, D. C. (1991). Real Patterns. The Journal of Philosophy, 88(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.2307/2027085
Key: @dennettRealPatterns1991
Use here: Reality as pattern persistence and predictive compression. - Ladyman, J., & Ross, D. (2009). Every thing must go: Metaphysics naturalized. Oxford university press.
Key: @ladymanEveryThingMust2009
Use here: Structural realism and ontology grounded in physics.
Related molecules:
Use this to record meaningful changes in framing, scope, or claims.
Keep entries short. Prefer facts over narrative.
- Date: 2025-12-29
Change: Aligned molecule structure to template
Reason: Template standardization
Impact: No semantic changes; content preserved
Sources touched: none
Next check: Verify atoms list and dataview sections
This revision grounds reality in persistence under constraint, consistent with the finalized atoms.