Can you prove your own existence?

[DuLake]

Prince, That's usually what I fall back to. In the end it's unfalsifiable and all that's left is to either trust that people exist or not. Even in the case of solipsism it seems to be to my benefit to assume people exist (there's more joy to be found in human interaction than in such a truth).

EvilDoomBunny, The irony is though, that for some people (myself included) thought and debate is time spent living. Some people prefer to live viscerally, others intellectually, neither is right or wrong (though a healthy balance is probably beneficial). Remember, waste is relative to one's goal. If one's goal is to be the world's best hacky sack player, having a job is probably to be considered a waste of time. If one's goal is to be a business professional, hacky sack is a waste of time.

[EvilDoomBunny]

@DuLake, I never said thought and debate were a waste of time, I was directing it at this particular subject.

I love to think and debate.

And you are right waste is relative to a person's goal, but I highly doubt most of any of you people here have a goal in becoming a recognized philosopher, regardless if you would like it, I really doubt anyone has it as a set goal. (in this thread)

[DuLake]

EvilDoomBunny, I apologize for my misunderstanding. I hope you didn't take my comment as an insult either, that certainly wasn't my intention. Totally agree about the topic too (I've mentioned my distaste a few times in here), just kind of sticking around for the hell of it, I guess. That and it's a good entry point for those interested in philosophy, so it never hurts to stick around and point out some things to those who haven't gotten a chance to wrestle with such ideas (God I sound elitist when I write, hate that.), though I certainly hope people get over the topic quickly.

As for being a philosopher, sounds cool to me. Too bad Post-Modernism has rendered the academic function somewhat moot these days (here's hoping for a resurgence of empiricism or a general acceptance of arbitrary starting points), but I have a theory that fiction writer's are the truest (or, at least, most effective) of all philosopher's, so academia never really seemed that important (not that purely academic philosopher's haven't made great contributions).

Again, sorry for my misunderstanding, I get what you're saying now, and totally agree.

[Bob]

There are a couple of ways in which I can prove that I exist.

1. Occam's razor. when faced with competing hypothesis that are equal in other respects, selecting the one that makes the fewest new assumptions.

Is it easier to believe that I exist or that everything that I experience is simply a manifestation of some other existence.

2. Reality. I am simply not smart enough to create a universe in my own mind or interesting enough to exist in someone else's consciousness.

[DrumRoll]

Who cares anyway.

We're all geeks with no life on this site so our existance is inconsequential regardless of whether it is real or not.

although for the record.

I AM SO REAL *sticks fingers in ears* LALALALALALALALALALA

[Leviathan87]

how do u know this isnt one big simulation. easy u cant.

[Kyle_Dimetri]

the same line of logic applies to everything. you can't prove that individual things exist without proving the whole, because if you exist than you can know. And if you can know and you do know there has to be things to know. In other words, something can't exist in a nonexistant place. So if you can't prove it to anyone else you can't prove it at all.

Let me ask you this

Did a mannequin or a REAL HUMAN BEING typed this message?

Was the computer you typed this message on real?

Could you see the message you typed>>>>>>cuz I can

Can you see the message i typed? or

Do you dream and can think for your self to pose opinions?

Do you feel emotions such as love and sadness?

Do you have a mother?

If you answered yes to ANY of these questions that proved to me you are real!!!

And to prove to you that the place where i typed this message was real>>>> For your info while i was typing this message my body was sweating. Now how could my body react to something that wasn't real to keep a real human being alive. And even if i was hallucinating/thinking that the so called "real place was hot", wouldn't i have to be real to experience an hallucination or even think the place was hot?

Cut the bullshit and come to your senses. ME, YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE IS REAL!!!

how do u know this isnt one big simulation. easy u cant.

Tell that to the V-R ( virtual reality>>>>> i assume you know what that means ) troopers and not actual real people

[Catwoman]

Who cares anyway.

We're all geeks with no life on this site so our existance is inconsequential regardless of whether it is real or not.

although for the record.

I AM SO REAL *sticks fingers in ears* LALALALALALALALALALA

He's so real. Hip and happenin'.

Respect!

And I like to think I exist.. And the only time I no longer do is if I'm ever forgotten.

But I asked myself the same question all the time when I was younger.

Nowadays, I'm just like... WE'LL SEE. Truths gotta come out at some point. : P

[lemmingllama]

No matter what, I know that I exist. Even if I cannot prove the existance of anyone else, I can prove that I exist. Why? Because something must be thinking these thoughts, and that something must be me. I think, therefore I am. Another thing that can be proven is geometry, since it is right by definition. A square must exist since it has four sides and four 90 degree angles. A tautology is true by definition, so all tautologies must be true too.

If you are interested in reading exactly how I came to see this, simply look up Renee Descartes and it explains everything

[Flamus]

all matter is just energy condensed to a slow vibration, we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream and we are the imagination of ourselves.

[Legado]

Even if we are made up by some unknown being, if we are existing as an illusion or real or anything. Because we exist as any of that, that we exist. Take that away then we simply dont.

For example lets say someone is doing a simulation out in their so call "reality" of us, but can that person/thing/whatever prove he/she exist? Then it just goes round and round because is something we can't possibly prove(i think). I say we exist, but in any kind of form or thing. Someone made us, or we are just being "real" living beings. It still comes down that we exist because of that.

Hope that made sense >_>;

[Flamus]

Even if we are made up by some unknown being, if we are existing as an illusion or real or anything. Because we exist as any of that, that we exist. Take that away then we simply dont.

For example lets say someone is doing a simulation out in their so call "reality" of us, but can that person/thing/whatever prove he/she exist? Then it just goes round and round because is something we can't possibly prove(i think). I say we exist, but in any kind of form or thing. Someone made us, or we are just being "real" living beings. It still comes down that we exist because of that.

Hope that made sense >_>;

I had a student who was a Philosophy major in college and during our classes we would speak about topics such as this. She told me something which I think is true even if someone doesn't agree but Philosophical questions such as this will only result in us "talking in circles".

If I can quote Descartes: "I think therefor I am". If we can accept this as true then we need no further proof but that could beg the question: "How can we prove our thoughts are real?"

[FuzzyDunlop]

I exist but reality doesnt.

There are quantum mechanics experiments that suggest that certain properties do not exist until they are measured. In other words, reality only exists when you perceive it, at least at the atomic level.

[Alkin]

This post proves that i exist for if i did not exist how did it end up here