My Personal Convictions and Observations (Take 2)

It's absurdly late here and I will not be able to answer everything now, unfortunately. (I did the test and it said I don't have that confusion-thing, yay)

But I just wanted to talk about this, for now:

So you're saying that solipsism is not a falsifiable theory. That's true.

However, external reality isn't falsifiable either. Oh no.

Neither can be proven nor falsified. Still, the part that is known is entirely in our minds. I believe in reality because feeling like I am the only mind in existence is an agonizingly lonely thought, and I really wouldn't want it to be true. But I have no proof.

Believing in reality seems to be the "default" choice because, understandably, people's first interpretations of their experiences is that those things they are seeing and feeling are actually the world, and not an image inside their minds representing part of the world. Or simply an image representing nothing but itself. Common sense, however, doesn't really prove anything.

We could also argue that "why would there be such a realistic, logical world following laws and etc?". No idea. Maybe it's a computer program, like the Matrix. Maybe it's just a very elaborate experiment another mind is doing on you. I can just speculate. Still, it would be a stretch to say that either reality or solipsism are "likely". It's just far beyond our knowledge.

Also, I have some objections about Last Thursdayism. We could say that, yes, our memories were all created at a specific moment, and we really haven't been existing all this time. I know, however, that I've had a continuous experience since I was a child.

In the same way I know that I don't get teleported to another universe every other day, only to have every memory about that universe erased when I return to this universe.

I know that simply saying "I know" is not a very good argument but, unfortunately, there is nothing else I can say about it. Well, I could also add something about the perception of time itself. You could say that I don't remember, and the continuous experience is an illusion, but... I just know it isn't.

edited 15th Sep '12 12:23:35 AM by Teraus

Anyway, I don't think you have answered what I've said about what you called an "abstraction". I still think that this is a vague word that merely ignores the real question. Practically a handwave.

Sorry for the revival, but I'm still waiting to see if the essence problem is addressed by anyone. I have some new arguments, too.

@OP:

I hope I remember to revisit this thread when I have more time to dissect it.