Why We Pretend Reality Is Real

Fictionalism suggests that we treat core beliefs as if they are true, even when we secretly know they are just useful fictions. It turns our most serious convictions into a form of sophisticated make-believe.

Philosophers use this idea to navigate concepts that cannot be proven, such as mathematical numbers or absolute moral truths. By treating these ideas like characters in a story, we can use them to build our world without needing to claim they exist in a physical sense. It is a way of staying pragmatic while remaining skeptical. This approach allows us to engage fully with complex systems while acknowledging the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of life.