Perception May Be the Ultimate Reality, but Is It the Ultimate Truth?

 

Recently I watched an online debate on the existence of evil between Deepak Chopra and Mark Driscoll on NBC’s face-off.  In addition to these two guests were an ex-prostitute, who came to give personal testimony to the objective demonic influence in her industry, and a catholic bishop who persistently relegated these experiences to her perception.  The assertion was repeated more than once, "Perception may be the ultimate reality, but it is not the ultimate truth."  In other words, there may be objective reality, but we can’t know it because we are all trapped behind our perceptions.  Perceptual reality, according to the skeptic, is all we can actually know.  Ultimately, objective truth about reality is epistemically unattainable.

Sound good?  Many seem to think so.  I just have one question (okay, maybe several) regarding a teeny tiny little inconsistency that keeps coming back to weigh down my mental makeup bag.  That is, I can’t help but wonder that if perception is personal reality, and everyone is trapped behind their perceptions, then what about those prescribing this skeptical view of knowledge?  Are they themselves also not trapped behind their perceptions of reality?  If so, how then do those who prescribe the view actually know this ultimate truth about everyone not being able to know any ultimate truth? 

It just puzzles me you see, since everybody is trapped behind their perceptions of reality.  Nevertheless, the epistemic genius of the skeptic is really mind boggling.  I mean, how cleaver are they to have figured out a way to get outside of their own perception in order to help the rest of us understand that nobody can get outside our own perceptions. 

But, since this view sounds so good, my perception of it must be true.  After all, skeptics ultimately know best.

TL