Consensus Reality

In earlier blog posts, I have used the phrase "consensus reality" to describe the joint perception of reality that the practice of science establishes among the community of scientists. The process of science creates a framework for each researcher to compare notes and reproduce results, eventually ensuring that multiple scientists can replicate the same underlying experiment. And, with the experiment consistently yielding the same or approximately the same results on each run, scientists can conclude that their understanding of why the results are the same must be valid. The nexus of all the independent perceptions of how the experiment proceeds is a reality measured by consensus: collectively, scientists conclude that their shared reality is the real one.

But here's the question: is the mechanics of science the only form of consensus reality? Are there other processes that yield a different reality, yet still shared by consensus among a group of conscious entities? What if navigating realities were as simple as walking across the street: as if moving within the dimensions of group affiliation and experience were as equally valid for defining our reality as moving with the four dimensions of space and time?

We are so accustomed to thinking of our dimensions as "a foot this way, an inch that way, a minute back, a year ahead." What if the set of those with whom we have a consensus forms a dimension as well? And if we develop consensus with multiple groups of people, why not are they distinct dimensions of their own? Perhaps traversal of our universe should be measured not by how many light-years we have crossed, but how many different groups with whom we connect.

Perhaps I should read up on social constructionism as that might provide a framework or foundation for these thoughts.