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The Nature of Reality
Dualism is the nature of reality, is what some people would believe, while others believe nihilism
is the true nature of reality. In this essay I will argue that existential nihilism offers a more perspicacious
explanation of reality than Cartesian dualism.
Existential nihilism is the philosophical theory that there is no metaphysical order, no given
reality. The true nature of reality is nihilism, and by believing so people obtain the most of reality.
Therefore, there is no metaphysical order. No mind and body (soul), no god, and no superior power.
Abruptly, you distressingly come to a realization. Sartre “couldn’t say [he felt] relieved of satisfied; just
the opposite, [he was] crushed” (224). The things we're to believe is a plant, a root, a hue, and aroma were
not as they imply. These were not at all things, these were existential. I am gazing upon a red rose, as I am
holding the rose between my fingers, I observe it, it's details, the green stem and leaves, the red hue of the
petals, the soft and watery texture, and sweet aroma. The red is not the red of the rose petals. The red
appears to seem like it is the hue of the rose petals, it appears like it is a hue, but it could be the aroma.
The aroma could be the hue, or neither. The aroma could have been consumed into the rose and caused it
to have a soft and watery texture, to have red petals. What is the red rose? It is portrayed as a beautiful
delicate plant with soft red petals, green stems and leaves, and with a sweet aroma. What does that mean?
What is the significance of this red rose? Why is it the hue red? Why when the red petal smears, it smears
as the hue red? And yet, the red petal is still red. As I pull off petal after petal, the petals are all red. The
red does not exist. The hue does not exist. The red rose just exists, exists between my fingers with all the
non red roses forms of the hue, the aroma, and the texture, just doing what it does best, existing. What is
portrayed as red, "you might believe them to be simple and reassuring, you might believe that there is a
real blue in the world, real red, a real perfume of almonds or violets. But as soon as you held on to them
for an instant, there is a feeling of comfort and security," what you've created as a reality, what you made
yourself identify as reality, "gave way to a deeper uneasiness: colours, tastes, and smells were never real,
never themselves and nothing but themselves," just like the red rose between my fingers (227). There is
no given metaphysical order, no reality. No purpose. Only existence.We simply exist to exist. There is
nothing else we can do but exist, just as the red rose I held between my fingers.
Many others may argue that Cartesian dualism is the true nature of reality. They believe that there
is in fact a given purpose, a god, and a deeper meaning in life. They believe that there is a mind and body,
considered as two separate substances, and a god who's created them with meaning and value. It is said
that animals do not posses a soul because "they are destitute of reason" (179), thus the soul is separate
