Solipsism Syndrome (member, classic, quote, 2002, Lute)

anticipation · 01-12-2009, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adidasss

Really? How do you figure? How is eternity (which should include) of all encompassing knowledge a good thing? There is no progress, no goal to strive to, just stationary (eternity means the absence of time which only leaves space) bleakness. Nothing can happen to you, there is no fear, therefore only indifference which is a euphemism for death. Either way you lose. *party pooper* :/

I should note that this is all just philosophical. If I really believed this was how things were, I'd have gone batshit crazy long ago...I just can't seem to abandon hope.

knowing everything means knowing nothing. knowledge is just the memories of past events, past answers, and past sequences. there is always something new to do, therefore creating more information. nothing ever stagnates because even decomposition leads to growth.

every moment is a lesson learned, but that doesn't mean it necessarily will apply for ever and ever.

swim · 01-12-2009, 05:10 PM

Even though it's all new it's all the same.

Inuzuka Skysword · 01-12-2009, 07:14 PM

Quote:

I suppose you wouldn't. Why would anyone believe it? The concept of questioning everything.

I don't think you understand how life works. I am not saying that you should never question, but don't forget to look at the meaning of existence, your own happiness. How do we know this is what we strive for? Well to us there are certain things our brain likes and certain things is does not. Therefore, we strive for the things it likes.

You can't do that if you sit in a corner all your life sucking your thumb wishing there was more to life.

swim · 01-12-2009, 07:17 PM

That's not to fun to think about during math class though...

I don't believe solipsism but it's still interesting to think about.

cardboard adolescent · 01-12-2009, 07:24 PM

anyway this thread was supposed to be about solipsism syndrome, which is a bit different from an entertaining philosophical idea. i would endeavor to describe it but it'll just make me sound crazy so i'll leave it alone until someone else comes along who already knows what i'm going to say.

Inuzuka Skysword · 01-12-2009, 07:25 PM

I am reading Murphy by Samuel Beckett right now and apparently he is a solipsist. I absolutely hate Murphy.

Fruitonica · 01-12-2009, 07:26 PM

I think most people think about this every now and then, it's a pretty frightening concept. But my mind is prosaic enough to ignore it happily.

I don't really understand the counter argument that someone doesn't believe their brain could manufacture a system so complex.
Once you believe that existence is a figment of your imagination, it's the smallest thing to accept that your brain could generate something like existence. We would be approaching something like God and our human consciousness could be the smallest fragment of our mind.

cardboard adolescent · 01-12-2009, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inuzuka Skysword

I am reading Murphy by Samuel Beckett right now and apparently he is a solipsist. I absolutely hate Murphy.

l'enfer... c'est les autres!!

Guybrush · 01-15-2009, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inuzuka Skysword

Irrational ideas are irrational. Why would I want to believe this?

Well, you can't disprove it and even trying is a likely waste of energy. People tend to like that, I think. It is rather self-centered, maybe people like that as well .. And people can "feel" like it, so there you go.

Anyways, I think the pursuit of stuff like this is daft. It can't be disproven and also, I can't see what believing in something like that would give to me - or anyone (in a "more trouble than it's worth"-kind of way).

If everything, including you guys, were figments of my imagination, I would like to think I would have had more control over what goes on. Since I don't have control over most things in my life, like wether or not the buss should be late or what you guys write, I would then perhaps have to consider that I am also a victim of how my imagination works. It seems my imagination has created a world where cause, consequence and so on is allowed to interact work freely and I have to play by the rules. If I wanna take the buss, I have to be there in time. If I throw a rock up in the air, it will fall down. That means that the imaginary world behaves exactly like what I expect from a "real" world. What's the difference between the two then? I don't know.

Now, since I don't know if people are figments of my imagination or not, should I treat them like they are? The answer is an obvious "no" because based on my prediction, a "yes" here would probably have more negative consequences, both by the rules in the real world and the "dream world". Should I hit myself in the head with this potentially imaginary hammer? No, I don't think so.

Conclusion : solipsism can be safely ignored.

Appearantly, according to that wikipedia article, the feeling that everything is artificial is normally enhanced when people gain control over everything. It lists other interesting observations as well. Maybe people who have this feeling just need to get out more.

littleknowitall · 01-22-2009, 05:26 PM

Had an awful one-dayer of this after a rather vivid and confusing dream....

Quickly saw sense however. Never been a keen thinker into the matter. Mainly because I don't like the thought of it happening to me. There was a famous Philosopher who believed this, can't remember his name, But his pupils used to have to stop him from jumping off clifs. Dangerous theory...

01-12-2009, 05:10 PM	#22 (permalink)
swim dontcareaboutyou Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Carolina Posts: 5,188	Even though it's all new it's all the same. __________________ http://nakednaps.bandcamp.com/

01-12-2009, 07:17 PM	#24 (permalink)
swim dontcareaboutyou Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Carolina Posts: 5,188	That's not to fun to think about during math class though... I don't believe solipsism but it's still interesting to think about. __________________ http://nakednaps.bandcamp.com/

01-12-2009, 07:24 PM	#25 (permalink)
cardboard adolescent ;) Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CA Posts: 3,503	anyway this thread was supposed to be about solipsism syndrome, which is a bit different from an entertaining philosophical idea. i would endeavor to describe it but it'll just make me sound crazy so i'll leave it alone until someone else comes along who already knows what i'm going to say.

01-12-2009, 07:25 PM	#26 (permalink)
Inuzuka Skysword Existential Egoist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,468	I am reading Murphy by Samuel Beckett right now and apparently he is a solipsist. I absolutely hate Murphy.

01-12-2009, 07:26 PM	#27 (permalink)
Fruitonica Pale and Wan Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Aus Posts: 917	I think most people think about this every now and then, it's a pretty frightening concept. But my mind is prosaic enough to ignore it happily. I don't really understand the counter argument that someone doesn't believe their brain could manufacture a system so complex. Once you believe that existence is a figment of your imagination, it's the smallest thing to accept that your brain could generate something like existence. We would be approaching something like God and our human consciousness could be the smallest fragment of our mind.

01-22-2009, 05:26 PM	#30 (permalink)
littleknowitall Pow! Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,671	Had an awful one-dayer of this after a rather vivid and confusing dream.... Quickly saw sense however. Never been a keen thinker into the matter. Mainly because I don't like the thought of it happening to me. There was a famous Philosopher who believed this, can't remember his name, But his pupils used to have to stop him from jumping off clifs. Dangerous theory...