RE: How do I get over that "feeling" that god exists?
May 2, 2015 at 3:21 am
(This post was last modified: May 2, 2015 at 3:27 am by robvalue.)
Nothing exists... so we shouldn't talk about anything except the fact nothing exists? I have no idea what this means. If nothing exists, no one is talking about anything, so why should it concern you?
What is "real" is not a trivial matter to define. Whatever "I" am, I'm experiencing something. That is as much as I can be certain of. Whether or not what I'm experiencing is "real" from any other point of view, it is real to me. So it matters to me. If I don't exist and neither does what I think I'm experiencing, then you're not there to tell me I'm wrong, nor does it matter that a non-existent person is wrong about a non-existent reality. I'm argueing with a figment of my imagination right now if so. Maybe I am, but it's not helpful to assume that I am.
You seem to be addressing solipsism. I agree that to get past it, we need certain base assumptions. You may not agree with those assumptions, that's fine. But you cannot use the position of solipsism to make any other point at all, because you've just said nothing is real or reliable. Either we all agree, for the sake of argument, that this reality is somehow real and we can know stuff about it, or there is no further conversation to be had.
If that's your point and you're just telling us to stop talking, then I'm afraid you are doomed to failure.
What is "real" is not a trivial matter to define. Whatever "I" am, I'm experiencing something. That is as much as I can be certain of. Whether or not what I'm experiencing is "real" from any other point of view, it is real to me. So it matters to me. If I don't exist and neither does what I think I'm experiencing, then you're not there to tell me I'm wrong, nor does it matter that a non-existent person is wrong about a non-existent reality. I'm argueing with a figment of my imagination right now if so. Maybe I am, but it's not helpful to assume that I am.
You seem to be addressing solipsism. I agree that to get past it, we need certain base assumptions. You may not agree with those assumptions, that's fine. But you cannot use the position of solipsism to make any other point at all, because you've just said nothing is real or reliable. Either we all agree, for the sake of argument, that this reality is somehow real and we can know stuff about it, or there is no further conversation to be had.
If that's your point and you're just telling us to stop talking, then I'm afraid you are doomed to failure.
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