--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How much of what we call 'reality' is…" description: "\"How much of what we call 'reality' is actually out there or rather within our own head?\" — Philip K. Dick" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/philip-k-dick-502_actually_how-much-of-what-we-call-reality-is-actu_2270574.jpg" --- # How much of what we call 'reality' is actually out there… ![“How much of what we call 'reality' is actually out there or rather within our own head?” quote by Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/philip-k-dick-502_actually_how-much-of-what-we-call-reality-is-actu_2270574.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/philip-k-dick-502_actually_how-much-of-what-we-call-reality-is-actu_2270574.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/philip-k-dick-502_actually_how-much-of-what-we-call-reality-is-actu_2270574.jpg) > “How much of what we call 'reality' is actually out there or rather within our own head?” [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It questions whether reality is external or constructed by our minds, probing the nature of perception. **In simple terms:** Reality may be mental or physical. Key Takeaway Explore how perception shapes your world. Themes reality perception philosophy Mood thought‑provoking skeptical Type philosophical speculative When to use this quote - virtual reality experiences - psychological therapy - philosophical debates Key Concepts ontology subjectivity consciousness Questions to Reflect On - What evidence defines reality? - How do beliefs influence perception? A Different Perspective Our brains can be deceived, making truth elusive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually/) [Actually Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually-head-5260475/) [Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Reality Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality-actually-1229244/) [Statistics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statistics/) ## Related quotes > [I know it's easy to say the box-office numbers doesn't matter, but the reality is it actually does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahira-khan/i-know-it-s-easy-to-say-the-box-office-numbers-doesn-t-matter-but-the/) [Mahira Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahira-khan/) > [“Reality is actually a malleable and a pliable construct.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/reality-is-actually-a-malleable-and-a-pliable-construct/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [The people who say you are not facing reality actually mean that you are not facing their idea of reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/the-people-who-say-you-are-not-facing-reality-actually-mean-that-you-2/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [I want my job to include a little adventure, a little more of a heightened reality than what I'm actually living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-fillion/i-want-my-job-to-include-a-little-adventure-a-little-more-of-a/) [Nathan Fillion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-fillion/) > [I am not interested in representing reality. Actually, I am interested in representing reality, but that doesn't mean a naturalistic approach, which I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/i-am-not-interested-in-representing-reality-actually-i-am-interested/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [“The people who say you are not facing reality actually mean that you are not facing their idea of reality. Reality is above all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/the-people-who-say-you-are-not-facing-reality-actually-mean-that-you/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [Reality has actually very little to do with truth; there is no necessary connection between the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/reality-has-actually-very-little-to-do-with-truth-there-is-no/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [They must remember that they are constantly on the run, and that the world's reality is actually expressed by their escape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/they-must-remember-that-they-are-constantly-on-the-run-and-that-the/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [I think I spend most of my time not living in reality, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/i-think-i-spend-most-of-my-time-not-living-in-reality-actually/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [The worst part about being heart broken by someone is that knowing you thought it was just all a dream, but in reality it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-powell-princess/the-worst-part-about-being-heart-broken-by-someone-is-that-knowing/) [Maddie Powell Princess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-powell-princess/) > [At the most simplistic level physicists tell us that what we see as reality is not actually accurate. A rock looks solid to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/at-the-most-simplistic-level-physicists-tell-us-that-what-we-see-as/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [Should we have a leader or should we think for ourselves? Obviously the latter in principle. But-sometimes there lies a gulf between what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/should-we-have-a-leader-or-should-we-think-for-ourselves-obviously/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Sometimes one must try anything, it is no disgrace. On the contrary, it is a sign of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/sometimes-one-must-try-anything-it-is-no-disgrace-on-the-contrary-it/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [It's not what happened but how it is told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/it-s-not-what-happened-but-how-it-is-told/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Can we consider the universe real, and if so, in what way?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/can-we-consider-the-universe-real-and-if-so-in-what-way/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) ## More by Philip K. Dick > [So we and our elaborately evolving computers may meet each other halfway. Someday a human being, named perhaps Fred White, may shoot a robot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/so-we-and-our-elaborately-evolving-computers-may-meet-each-other/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Even if all life on our planet is destroyed, there must be other life somewhere which we know nothing of. It is impossible that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/even-if-all-life-on-our-planet-is-destroyed-there-must-be-other-life/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“That is not how you do it; you do not solve one problem with another, greater problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/that-is-not-how-you-do-it-you-do-not-solve-one-problem-with-another/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [For each person there is a sentence—a series of words—which has the power to destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/for-each-person-there-is-a-sentence-a-series-of-words-which-has-the/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [I want to write about people I love, and put them into a fictional world spun out of my own mind, not the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-want-to-write-about-people-i-love-and-put-them-into-a-fictional/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Why does a man cry? he wondered. Not like a woman; not for that. Not for sentiment. A man cries over the loss of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/why-does-a-man-cry-he-wondered-not-like-a-woman-not-for-that-not-for/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [The day came. The wrath descended. Sin, guilt, and retribution? The manic psychoses of those entities we referred to as states, institutions, systems -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/the-day-came-the-wrath-descended-sin-guilt-and-retribution-the-manic/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [The church of my choice is the free, open world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/the-church-of-my-choice-is-the-free-open-world/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“I see,' Rick said. He felt numb. Completely. Throughout his entire body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-see-rick-said-he-felt-numb-completely-throughout-his-entire-body/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“What is identity? he asked himself. Where does the act end? Nobody knows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/what-is-identity-he-asked-himself-where-does-the-act-end-nobody-knows/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [You're killing yourself with cynicism. Your idols got taken away from you one by one and now you have nothing to give your love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/you-re-killing-yourself-with-cynicism-your-idols-got-taken-away-from/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [What scared me the most was when my father would put on the gasmask. His face would disappear... This was not a human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/what-scared-me-the-most-was-when-my-father-would-put-on-the-gasmask/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“A man is an angel that has become deranged, Joe Fernwright thought. Once they – all of them – had been genuine angels, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/a-man-is-an-angel-that-has-become-deranged-joe-fernwright-thought/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“When do I see a photograph, when a reflection?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/when-do-i-see-a-photograph-when-a-reflection/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [My major preoccupation is the question, 'What is reality?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/my-major-preoccupation-is-the-question-what-is-reality/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) [Explore all 489 Philip K. Dick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) ## More Actually quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [I'm from Europe, England, and I actually lived in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-m-from-europe-england-and-i-actually-lived-in-italy/) [Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/) > [The alternative comedy scene is actually pretty small, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/the-alternative-comedy-scene-is-actually-pretty-small-i-guess/) [Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [I actually do sing sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morten-harket/i-actually-do-sing-sometimes/) [Morten Harket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morten-harket/) > [I've actually got quite a good memory. I've good recall. 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