After reading Popper's concept of the three worlds, here is my understanding:
The three worlds: the physical world, the mental world, and the intersubjective world. Most people's suffering stems from their inability to distinguish which world they are truly living in. We do not live in a single reality but traverse three overlapping layers with entirely different rules simultaneously. Understanding the boundaries of these three worlds is the first step toward mental maturity. ⸻ 1. The Physical World This is the hardware layer of the universe. Comprised of atoms, gravity, thermodynamic laws, and biochemical reactions. Characteristics: It is "pre-linguistic." Whether you believe in it or not, it exists. It contains no meaning, only causality. Fire will burn your hand, humans age, gravity pulls you to the ground. In this world, there is no justice, only physical mechanisms; no good or evil, only energy exchanges. The physical world is the ultimate boundary of all narratives—you can use stories to cover hunger, but you cannot use stories to fill your stomach. ⸻ 2. The Mental World This is your operating system interface. Made up of your pain, pleasure, anxiety, memories, and unique experiences. Characteristics: It is "incommensurable"; each person's mind is an unopenable black box. A toothache is a neural signal from the physical world, but the feeling of "pain" only exists within your personal world. Your anxiety, your ecstasy, are fundamentally closed off. Even if you use elaborate language, others can only understand your description but cannot replicate your experience. In this world, you are both the only god and the only prisoner. All external information must be transcoded (processed by the brain) within this world to be meaningful to you. ⸻ 3. The Intersubjective World This is the local network protocol built by humans. Comprised of laws, currency, nations, corporations, morality, religion, and crypto. Characteristics: It exists on a "believe it or not" basis. A banknote can buy bread because we collectively believe it is money; a company exists because laws and markets recognize this concept. This is humanity's greatest invention and also the biggest maze. We exchange and redistribute resources from the physical world (oil, computing power) through desires in the personal world (greed, fear) within the intersubjective world. ⸻ 4. The Root of Suffering: World Dislocation Most life dilemmas stem from trying to solve problems of one world using the rules of another. Dislocation 1: Using the "Intersubjective" to fight the "Physical World" All Ponzi schemes and Great Leap Forward-style bubbles attempt to modify "laws (physical)" with "confidence (intersubjective)." The inevitable outcome is the physical world violently clearing the intersubjective world. Dislocation 2: Using "Intersubjective evaluation" to fill "personal experience" Many people desperately earn money (intersubjective accumulation) to achieve inner peace (personal experience). But "social status" exists in others' minds, while "happiness" is a chemical reaction within oneself. External consensus cannot fill the internal black hole. Dislocation 3: Mistaking "Intersubjective rules" for "immutable physical laws" "Must marry by age 35," "Not buying a house is a failure." These are just stories woven by the intersubjective; they are soft rules that can be changed, abandoned, or ignored. But many treat them as gravity-like physical laws, crushing their personal worlds. ⸻ 5. Survival Strategies for the Awake An awakened person is a stealthy traveler who navigates the three worlds with ease. * Respect the physical world: Exercise, respect common sense, accept cycles, and do not oppose probability. This is the foundation of survival. * Leverage the intersubjective world: Understand rules, use money, laws, and narrative leverage to acquire resources. But always remember, these are just tools, not truths. * Protect your personal mind: No matter how noisy the external environment, keep a piece of land untouched by narratives. In the end, the physical world will reclaim your atoms, and the intersubjective world will forget your name. What you truly possess is only this moment, the breath that occurs within your personal world. ⸻
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After reading Popper's concept of the three worlds, here is my understanding:
The three worlds: the physical world, the mental world, and the intersubjective world.
Most people's suffering stems from their inability to distinguish which world they are truly living in.
We do not live in a single reality but traverse three overlapping layers with entirely different rules simultaneously.
Understanding the boundaries of these three worlds is the first step toward mental maturity.
⸻
1. The Physical World
This is the hardware layer of the universe.
Comprised of atoms, gravity, thermodynamic laws, and biochemical reactions.
Characteristics:
It is "pre-linguistic." Whether you believe in it or not, it exists.
It contains no meaning, only causality.
Fire will burn your hand, humans age, gravity pulls you to the ground.
In this world, there is no justice, only physical mechanisms; no good or evil, only energy exchanges.
The physical world is the ultimate boundary of all narratives—you can use stories to cover hunger, but you cannot use stories to fill your stomach.
⸻
2. The Mental World
This is your operating system interface.
Made up of your pain, pleasure, anxiety, memories, and unique experiences.
Characteristics:
It is "incommensurable"; each person's mind is an unopenable black box.
A toothache is a neural signal from the physical world, but the feeling of "pain" only exists within your personal world.
Your anxiety, your ecstasy, are fundamentally closed off. Even if you use elaborate language, others can only understand your description but cannot replicate your experience.
In this world, you are both the only god and the only prisoner.
All external information must be transcoded (processed by the brain) within this world to be meaningful to you.
⸻
3. The Intersubjective World
This is the local network protocol built by humans.
Comprised of laws, currency, nations, corporations, morality, religion, and crypto.
Characteristics:
It exists on a "believe it or not" basis.
A banknote can buy bread because we collectively believe it is money; a company exists because laws and markets recognize this concept.
This is humanity's greatest invention and also the biggest maze.
We exchange and redistribute resources from the physical world (oil, computing power) through desires in the personal world (greed, fear) within the intersubjective world.
⸻
4. The Root of Suffering: World Dislocation
Most life dilemmas stem from trying to solve problems of one world using the rules of another.
Dislocation 1: Using the "Intersubjective" to fight the "Physical World"
All Ponzi schemes and Great Leap Forward-style bubbles attempt to modify "laws (physical)" with "confidence (intersubjective)."
The inevitable outcome is the physical world violently clearing the intersubjective world.
Dislocation 2: Using "Intersubjective evaluation" to fill "personal experience"
Many people desperately earn money (intersubjective accumulation) to achieve inner peace (personal experience).
But "social status" exists in others' minds, while "happiness" is a chemical reaction within oneself.
External consensus cannot fill the internal black hole.
Dislocation 3: Mistaking "Intersubjective rules" for "immutable physical laws"
"Must marry by age 35," "Not buying a house is a failure."
These are just stories woven by the intersubjective; they are soft rules that can be changed, abandoned, or ignored.
But many treat them as gravity-like physical laws, crushing their personal worlds.
⸻
5. Survival Strategies for the Awake
An awakened person is a stealthy traveler who navigates the three worlds with ease.
* Respect the physical world: Exercise, respect common sense, accept cycles, and do not oppose probability. This is the foundation of survival.
* Leverage the intersubjective world: Understand rules, use money, laws, and narrative leverage to acquire resources. But always remember, these are just tools, not truths.
* Protect your personal mind: No matter how noisy the external environment, keep a piece of land untouched by narratives.
In the end, the physical world will reclaim your atoms, and the intersubjective world will forget your name.
What you truly possess is only this moment, the breath that occurs within your personal world.
⸻