One thing we can be almost certain of, by blending some philosophical and scientific concepts, is that the phenomena we see, the outside reality as it is presented to us, is not a complete and accurate description of the underlying existence.
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It is seen as empty through introspection and phenomenology, in Buddhist and philosophical traditions alike.
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Modern science (more than 100 years ago) showed that matter is inherently empty through quantum theory.
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Colors do not intrinsically exist. They just appear to us. We do not notice any colors as we go deeper and deeper into matter. We also see the sky and sea as blue, while nothing blue exists in them.
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We see a filtered subset of what is out there; we don’t hear ultrasonic sounds, we don’t see infrared, we don’t see other waves, and we don’t see details not relevant to our practical living and survival.
At best, we see a subset, and it still does not seem accurate when we consider how many illusions and tricks our perception can create.
It has been pointed out by various thinkers that we shape a view of the world through our mental faculties. Our instruments of sensation shape what we take to be objective reality. They also limit us to viewing a subset of the world, potentially optimized for our survival needs and shaped more generally by our goals at a particular moment in time. This seems unavoidable given our current understanding.
There are some questions regarding this:
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Is there any chance that we can remove those goggles for a while and see reality a bit closer to its essence? Or are we “trapped” inside our perceptual worldview?
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Is there a countable number of types of goggles? For example, are there one or five, or is it an infinite process with an endless number of filters (finer-grained resolutions and higher-level worldviews exist; everything needs its “glasses” to exist in the first place, the single cell and god-like entities might “wear” different types of goggles)?
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Maybe the goggles themselves are the essence in the first place? Is existence itself about seeing different levels and views of the one reality?
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If we could never remove the goggles, is there any chance we can get a glimpse of the thing in itself using intellect and intuition alone? Or is it an attempt in vain?
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As we explore the biological aspects of consciousness more and more, could it become easier to temporarily enter other modes of existence (through biological understanding and technological advancement), e.g. the minds of animals, other people, or potential alien beings?