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Rene Descartes made famous the line "Cogito ergo sum", translating to "I think, therefore I am." Like a good Neoplatonist, he sought out to prove only things that could be reasoned through means such as mathematics. Yet, what if his math was wrong? What if our reality is completely warped and 2+2 really equals 5 (which in fact it does, for really high values of 2).
And really, what if self-awareness is just an illusion, since how can a unique configuration of atoms known as the brain really be self-aware?
I'd hate to break it, but once you really begin to think about it you can't really prove anything, so Rene Descartes would probably run into a lot of frustration down the road, constantly overanalyzing everything (like me) and second-guessing himself to the point where life just became pointless.
The moral of this random rant: Rene is a silly old man. Never take Rene seriously.
I had a conversation with a friend about this once. She was bothered by the question of reality possibly being a complete illusion, and I kept responding that if it really is a great illusion, we might as well enjoy it as if it were real, because it's so well-done.
Also, I'm amused by statements like "you can't prove anything." How can that statement be proved, then?
Rene is a silly old man indeed.
And as for atoms in the brain being self-aware, well, they just are, I guess. That's where possible justifications are a good place for religion to step in, if one feels so inclined.
And as for atoms in the brain being self-aware, well, they just are, I guess.
It's not the atoms that are self-aware. It's not the arrangement of atoms either. Awareness is an emergent behavior, so it comes from the interaction of neurons (and thus organelles, atoms, etc.).
It's not the atoms that are self-aware. It's not the arrangement of atoms either. Awareness is an emergent behavior, so it comes from the interaction of neurons (and thus organelles, atoms, etc.).
Derp. Yeah, that's more or less what I was thinking, but I was composing the comment hastily and the actual sentence I ended up typing sounds cringingly moronic. XP I did actually intended to speak more of interactions.
I've always interpreted that as the meaning of the quote--I think, therefore I am, but I can't prove anything else. I myself exist, but because the thoughts of others are incorporeal, and because my mind could very well be screwing with the rest of me, I can't prove anything else exists. Taking everything in faith is pretty much the origin of religion.
This explanation begs the quesiton of the definition of 'I'--based on Descartes's quote, 'I' can't really be anything more than my mind, right? My arms could be a figment of my imagination. Heck, my brain could be a figment of my imagination.
Logic itself could be a figment of my imagination. If people do exist outside of my mind, do they even think the same? Do people see the same colors? Even more, do they feel the same emotions, or is happiness to one despair to another?
Basically, I took it to mean the same thing.
It's strange that I've been thinking about this stuff as long as I can remember. or at least, I think I thought them, presuming that my own mind and memory can be trusted and that time exists.
Derp. Yeah, that's more or less what I was thinking, but I was composing the comment hastily and the actual sentence I ended up typing sounds cringingly moronic. XP I did actually intended to speak more of interactions.
~B~
I had a feeling you meant that, but that sort of a goof-up can derail a thread quickly, so I tried to clarify a bit more.
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Me
Username: Jean Valjean Real name: N/A Age: 23 Gender: Male Heritage: Half Dutch, 25% Hungarian, 12.5% Swedish, 6.25% German and Irish Physical description: Looks like the eleventh Doctor Favorite food: Chicken, turkey, and beef. Least favorite food: Vegetables of any kind Favorite band: Queen Favorite singer: Billy Joel Favorite song: American Pie Favorite movie: Schindler's List Favorite TV show:Smallville & Arthur the Friendly Aardvark Favorite play: Les Miserables Favorite color: Silver Second favorite color: Brown Favorite board game: Risk Favorite athlete: Michael Phelps Lucky Number: 53 Past-times: Writing, reading, politics, drawing Political party: Republican Religion: Christian Language: Not English, but American.
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Rene Descartes made famous the line "Cogito ergo sum", translating to "I think, therefore I am." Like a good Neoplatonist, he sought out to prove only things that could be reasoned through means such as mathematics. Yet, what if his math was wrong? What if our reality is completely warped and 2+2 really equals 5 (which in fact it does, for really high values of 2).
Sigh, oh well.