It's a common marketing maxim that "perception is reality." It doesn't take a great deal of thought to realize the unreality of that statement. And yet in a very real way it is true for nearly all of us.
As Einstein opined, "“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.”
In the article, "6 Steps To Untangle Reality And Perception," Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Jack Grabon, explains: "Perception is the lens through which we view reality: ourselves, others and the world around us. However, the lens often gets confused with what is being viewed through it." We all filter and then interpret all the data that comes into our brain: first, through our various senses input devices each with their own particular limitations, and then secondly through our mind with its own cognitive strengths and limitations whether physical or due to our education and experience or lack thereof. And of course we cannot ignore the multiple biases and prejudices which we no doubt have, many of which we are sadly unaware.
Last year I spent a unit with one of my science classes focusing on the physical limitations of our senses. We explored and measured what we can and cannot perceive. We also learned about how these senses lie to us; not only do we not see a great deal of what exists to be seen, but our brains lie to us and "see things" that are not there. (An example of this is how our brain fills in the "blind spot" in each of our eyes by "guessing" what is there.)
After doing this for most of our senses, my students were beginning to wonder if they could trust anything. This is where a scientific approach to understanding reality comes to our rescue, at least partially.
By becoming aware of what we do and can know, by understanding that we have preconceptions, misconceptions and biases that influence our thinking, we begin to realize the importance of having evidence that is objective and verifiable in creating our understanding of ourselves and the world in which we live.
It then follows that we should begin to seek ways to independently verify what we know and what we think we know. This leads to a more rational worldview, one free of religious beliefs, superstitions and myths.
In my class I had several young JWs. Two of them told me after they graduated that those lectures helped them to have confidence in their questions and doubts about their religion of origin and to become independent thinkers.