If consciousness determines reality, is Schrödinger’s cat alive or dead before we choose to look?
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Chico
I tend to think about it the same way I think about the old question of whether a tree makes a sound when it falls with no one around. The event still happens; the vibrations still move through the air. Reality doesn’t wait for someone to witness it. Schrödinger’s cat, to me, fits into that broader idea. Its state isn’t hanging in some void, dependent on my gaze to become real. Whatever the cat is—alive or dead, it exists in that condition regardless of whether I open the box. This brings me closer to a philosophical view that reality has an independence from consciousness. Thinkers from Aristotle to modern metaphysicians argue that being itself doesn’t rely on a perceiver; things exist in themselves, not merely for us. The universe offers the strongest example: long before conscious life appeared, it expanded, burned, collided, cooled, and created the conditions for everything that followed. It didn’t require eyes to validate it. In contrast to a Truman-style worldview, where existence is staged for the observer, this perspective treats observation as secondary. What I see doesn’t create the truth; it only reveals it. The world continues uninterrupted; whether or not I am there to confirm it. Thanks for the question, I actually had to jump on the computer to type out a well thought out response.
King Tripple Whopper
The only thing that’s alive on the cat is maggots! Just keeping it real! 
King Tripple Whopper
Heavy Mellow
 I believe that all human knowledge depends on perception and interpretationt, and these are both fallible 
Extra Terrestrial Ira
Heavy Mellow: Can you elaborate in your disbelief of absolute certainty? I'd be curious to hear about that.
paulUK
paulUK
Heavy Mellow
I suspect that consciousness is individual. Of course I can’t be certain, as I do not believe an absolute certainty. I find it interesting how certain stimulation or injury can affect consciousness. Even identity itself.
Extra Terrestrial Ira
If we look at consciousness, within it's most literal definition, awareness of one's self and ones surroundings, there could be an argument made that the cat is neither dead nor alive until an individual becomes aware of said cat. This relies heavily, though on the assumption that each individuals reality is determined by their own perception. Theoretically, if you encounter a being who has zero understanding of life or death, immortality as an example, then they might insist that the cat is always there, no matter what. if you were never made aware that I exist, within your reality, I would be neither because you would have never met me to be aware that I was alive at one point and would no longer be. This conflicts with collective consciousness, because if we as humans are generally aware that other humans exist, then we are also aware that each and every one of us is alive at one point and dead at another. Do you think of reality on an individual basis, or a collective one? If reality is determined by the individual, do you think that your perception of your reality could influence or determine my perception of my reality? if reality is determined by a collective consciousness, all humans experience the same reality, then who determines our reality? Some might make a case for religion at this point, all humans collective reality is determined by an omnipotent being, or others could argue that within collective reality there is a concept of determinism. Every action each one of us takes was already determined and will then dictate the action we take after that one. Thank you for this, it made my morning. I'm really curious to know what you think.
Heavy Mellow
But what’s the super position?
Fred