[antonvs]

But it can be proven: that’s what science does. We perform experiments to verify in multiple ways that the theories about the world that we’ve developed are consistent with the evidence.

In contrast, if you believe that e.g. the machine elves some people see on DMT are real, there are all sorts of experiments you could do to test that. But not many people bother to try, because at some level they know they’re not real.

Of course, you can speculate that these mental realms are a different aspect of reality and not subject to the same constraints, etc., to which the obvious answer is that’s right, they’re called fantasies or delusions.

[EmilyHughes]

>if you believe that e.g. the machine elves some people see on DMT are real, there are all sorts of experiments you could do to test that

Well you can't even proof that any human you encounter in a sober state is "real". Scienctific theories are predictions and don't tell you anything about metaphysical truth. For all you know you could be plugged into the matrix, right?

[antonvs]

If that’s your concern, try ranking realities.

As Phillip K. Dick put it, “Reality is that which, when you stop believing it, doesn't go away.”

> Scientific theories are predictions

No. If you’re not familiar with philosophy of science at all, Kuhn’s Structure of Scientific Revolutions is a good starting point, although keep in mind it’s only a starting point.