How do you know you exist?

Answer 1

because I'm able to ponder whether i exist or not. the fact that I'm thinking is enough proof of my existence.

Answer 2

"I think, therefore I am." If you don't know who said that, then you don't deserve to be asking this question.

I know I exist... but I can't prove it to you, nor do I need to. Especially since I can't even prove that you exist. Maybe you are a figment of my imagination, in which case, who cares what you think? No offense. Not that it matters, since you might not exist.

But on the off-chance that you do, I know I exist because I am conscious. Simple, easy, but suitably deep.

Answer 3

I really don't. I am aware of myself, but what does that prove? I exist in reaction or response to everything around me- would I exist as equally if there was nothing outside myself to reflect me?
I believe I do- I have meditated for 20+years, and have experienced "myself" beyond my body, so I have hope.

Answer 4

In the same way that a child "knows" he exists. You don't have to "derive" the knowledge from thinking about it.

Answer 5

When I see the bills, I know I exist!!!
Good Luck!

Answer 6

You exist in one of an infinite number of realities, we as humans can only perceive one reality, which is the one that is around you at this moment

Answer 7

What exactly is this "existence?" Is it molecules clumped together with a consciousness, or does it matter if the molecules are only imagined by the consciousness?

Answer 8

lol I think the real question is why are huumans who can see the first and second dimentions arrogant enought to thing the third is the end of dimentions..lol I mean we can see 1 and 2 but 1 cannot see 2, 2 cannot see 3 but the 4,5,6,7,8,9,10 ectcetra can see us.. durrr!..lol

Answer 9

"How do you know you exist?"


It is an interesting concept to ponder. It easy to say that one
believes that they exist. Or to think that one exists, that is a whole different matter than KNOWING one EXISTS.

But to really answer the question, you have to really understand the question. so here goes...
Ok the two most important words are, KNOW and EXIST

Exist means:
1 a : to have real being whether material or spiritual

Know means:
2 a : to be aware of the truth or factuality of

In order for you to 'know' something you must be aware of it and it must be true. otherwise you would not KNOW it you would think it or believe it.

Other words:
How means:
b : for what reason

For what reason, are you aware of the truth of your having real being material or spiritual?
What evidence makes you aware that you have real being?

Translated:
What proves to you that you are something real?

Ok now that we have a concrete question without airy philosophical terms in it, now lets get down to the answer.
For my purposes lets say that you exist in 2 ways. Physical and mental.

Physically it is quite easy.
Get in a bath tub full to the brim with water. The water spills over the edge when you get in.(that's how the Greeks discovered volume). weigh yourself.
1. you take up space
2. you have mass and density
Therefore:
You exist just as much as anything else exists, as much as rocks and trees exist, you exist.
You are a REAL PHYSICAL lump of cells.

Now for the hard part:
Mentally

People have spent their entire lives thinking about questions like this.

Descartes said, "Dubito, Ergo Cogito, Ergo Sum."

I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am(or I exist).

In Websters dictionary "think" means:
"1 : to form or have in the mind
2 : to have as an intention
3 a : to have as an opinion b : to regard as : CONSIDER
4 a : to reflect on : PONDER b : to determine by reflecting
5 : to call to mind : REMEMBER
6 : to devise by thinking -- usually used with up
7 : to have as an expectation : ANTICIPATE
8 a : to center one's thoughts on b : to form a mental picture of
9 : to subject to the processes of logical thought
intransitive verb
1 a : to exercise the powers of judgment, conception, or inference : REASON b : to have in the mind or call to mind a thought
2 a : to have the mind engaged in reflection : MEDITATE b : to consider the suitability
3 : to have a view or opinion
4 : to have concern -- usually used with of
5 : to consider something likely : SUSPECT "

Computers can't do these things only humans can do all of these things. Descartes statement still holds firm.
"I doubt, therefore I think, Therefore I am."
"You think therefore you are AND you are human" - Me

"How do you know that you exist?"
is maybe the ultimate philosophical question. Will it ever be completely and 'satisfactorily' answered. Probably not.

If you still are not convinced, here is another angle at the argument:

Prove that I do not exist. If you cannot, according logic and reason, I must exist.

Prove to me any 1 of these statements and I will know that I do not exist:
Has nothing ever done anything?
Has nothing ever spilled water out of a full bathtub?
Has nothing ever weighed anything?(zero doesn't count as 'something' if something weighs zero lbs it has no weight)

Nothing hasn't ever done any of those things, but you have.
Therefore, you are something, ergo you exist.

(my brain hurts too)

Hope that (kind of) Helps!!

Answer 10

good question. i think this is all a dream and one day we will all wake up in a different world lived with supernatural creatures who actually put us here cause they were annoyed by us. but yea im serious, how do you think people are so obsesed with the supernatural and stuff?