bullshit philosophy at its finest.

For the discussion of philosophical books.

Moderators: AMod, iMod

Dalek Prime
Posts: 4922
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2015 4:48 am
Location: Living in a tree with Polly.

Re: bullshit philosophy at its finest.

Post by Dalek Prime »

Gaffo, you're not really a solipsist, are you? I can see it being an amusing exercise, but nothing more than that. That things persist when they are not in your awareness, including yourself, is a fairly reliable indicator that there is something more than just your awareness. This would include the psychiatrist sitting across the desk, with the concerned, slightly bemused look on their face, asking you questions regarding your views. ;)
PeteJ
Posts: 427
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2015 1:15 pm

Re: bullshit philosophy at its finest.

Post by PeteJ »

Gary Childress wrote: Tue Jun 12, 2018 1:41 pm On the other hand, I suppose there are still wild hypothetical scenarios or thought experiments we can concoct in our minds to validate a kind of Cartesian solipsism, regardless. For example, I might think that everyone else around me is some sort of dream I'm having (or maybe a hologram) or perhaps a mechanical (non-conscious) robot, or chatbot, programed to make me think you are the same sort of being I am. However, IIRC Sartre pointed out that feeling shame or embarrassment (among other reactions) in the presence of another dispels the myth that we can conceivably or genuinely believe in solipsism. For example, if you really feel you are the only one in the world, try having sex with a beautiful woman (consensually of course) in public with others watching. Most of us would feel shame or embarrassment, which seems to indicate that we think someone else is watching. Unless of course having sex in front of non-conscious robots bothers us.
Nobody believes solipsism is true (at least as per usual definition). But this is not the issue. What is vitally important about solipsism is that it is unfalsifiable,

If it were falsifiable then Middle Way Buddhism and more generally mysticism would be falsifiable, so its unfalsifiability is of immense significance and repays considerable thought.
Post Reply