On Light, Vision and Knowledge

There is light. And light enables vision of a world in flux. And in perceiving the world we desire to know it, to move towards absolute knowledge of it (to close the gap between it and self, between body and ‘mind’). Yet whence that light and where does that world exist? Are we in it or is it in us? And what is the method for knowing it? How do we bring into play the range of our capacities? As a materialist or as an ‘idealist’? As one who holds that objective reality or matter is primary or as one who holds that consciousness or 'mind' takes precedence? What is the difference between 'X is idealistic' and that X is philosophically committed thus? Can we not use the lesson of that distinction to overcome a crippling impediment to the development of our knowledge, thereby enhancing both our ability to know the world and the potential for greater harmony in our lives in relation with it?