The constituent elements of an object, the object itself, and the many

objects and situations of which the object itself is a constituent element are all

equally real. All of this extraneous reality must be stripped away, before a given

object can be seen or put to use, by applying a pragmatic framework of reference

to the object, specifying its relationship to a goal. Perception simplifies the world,

without sacrificing functional grip. The perceiver learns what resolution-level is

relevant to a given operation by interacting pragmatically with the patterns

amenable to perception. The pattern that manifests itself at the appropriate level is

granted object status. In every act of perception, therefore, entropy at some levels

of resolution is reduced to a minimum, while at others it is allowed to approach

the infinite. Thus the complexity characterizing the thing-in-itself can be

successfully, if temporarily, dealt with.