Reality as Collective Contract

Updated: 2026.11.02 3H ago 1 sources
Reality is not only discovered; it is repeatedly produced by shared practices, language and civic rituals. When large groups agree to treat a narrative or category as 'real', that status reshapes incentives, policy choices and who counts as credible. — If reality is a social contract, then political battles over recognition, facts, and categories are also battles over enforceable public rules and institutional design.

Sources

What makes something real?
Lisa Feldman Barrett 2026.11.02 100% relevant
Big Think feature (video/column) with Lisa Feldman Barrett discussing how perception and culture build 'reality' — the article foregrounds culture and collective agreement as the mechanism.
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