Can I be sure of my own existance?

Question

I know it sounds silly but what reason do i have to believe that i do? There is my physical reality but what do i really understand from that reality?

I think therefore i am.

I feel dumb saying this after i looked up Descartes. But that dose not sit easily with me. I feel it is making assumptions. About existence, reality and thinking. We don't understand these ideas how can we come to a conclusion from them?

Answer 1

You really exist and this is how it works.

This is more easily understandable if one considers the actual scale of the components of an atom. If one takes into account the fact that the neutrons, protons and electrons of an atom actually have huge spaces between them it becomes clear that the atoms that make up seemingly solid objects are made up of 99+ percent empty space.

This alone does not seem too important till you add the idea that the atoms that make up seemingly solid objects are more of a loose conglomeration that share a similar attraction but never really touch each other.

At first glance this does not really seem relevant, but closer analysis reveals that this adds a tremendous amount of empty space to solid objects that are already made up of atoms that are 99 percent space. When so-called solid objects are seen in this light it becomes apparent that they can in no way be the seemingly solid objects they appear to be.

We ourselves are not exceptions to this phenomenon.

These seemingly solid objects are more like ghostly images that we interpret as solid objects based on our perceptual conclusions.

From this we must conclude that Perception is some sort of a trick that helps us to take these ghostly images and turn them into a world we can associate and interact with. This clever device seems to be a creation of our intellect that enables us to interact with each other in what appears to be a three dimensional reality.

I hope that helps to answered your question.

I agree with you about Descartes and assumptions. His whole philosophy can be sumed up by saying I think, therefore I think that I am.

Love and blessings Don

Answer 2

First off, hitting your head on the wall only tells you that you interpret electrical impulses in one way or another. It also tells everyone watching that you're an idiot. I wouldn't suggest it. That is just to say that things can hurt or 'feel' in dreams as well. Think about a dream where you're falling and the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you wake up. It feels like you really were falling.

Second, Descartes was a great guy and I think you should read the Meditations because it can answer a lot of your questions but there is at least one assumption in 'I think...'. The assumption is that you can collect the thinking in one thing and call that thing 'I'. Why is are the thoughts not being thought by some collective? Maybe, we think therefore we are. Maybe I think therefore we are. Etc.

Anyways, read the Meditations, it's pretty easy and you can find lots of information about them on the interweb. I think the point that is supposed to be made by the head bashing idea is that it doesn't matter if you don't exist; it seems like you do so you should run with that.

Answer 3

You think too much. Life is here for the living and you only get one crack at it so stop looking too deep and have some fun.

There was a Philosopher called Descartes who decided that he could know he exists and his famous saying is:

"I think therefore I am. "

Like if you are contemplating do you exist then you do exist - well unless you are part of some giant conspiracy theory where you are just a sort of a programme on a computer or something and just a pawn. Now you talk about physical reality well your brain is part of that isn't it??? so what you understand would be things you see and things you feel, things you enjoy etc. etc. Don't freak out just enjoy the ride.

Answer 4

Your conscious thought is involved. You consciously think either that you exist or that you don't. Whatever you mean by those terms "I exist or I don't", you have an additional premise, which is that YOU think that thought. IF YOU think that thought, then YOU probably exist, if you mean anything at all by the word "exist". Otherwise, the thought exists and YOU may or may not, unless ofcourse you ARE that thought. This all assumes, of course, that "exist" means what you seem to mean by it. In a way, if you have to ask, how can you claim to be sure? :P Try that answer on for size. Actually think it through. This is related to the question "does anything exist". Most people would say the person asking the question does, the question does, the ground he is standing on does... etc.

Answer 5

If you condsider only your physical presence, you'll see that you're similar to a dust mote in the scheme of things. But, like everyone says, someone is asking the quesition, so that seems to be a good starting place. Who or what is asking the question? What is this "I" which asks if it exists?
In meditation practice, whether buddhist, hindu, sufi, christian or other, one usually begins with one's sensory perceptions and reduces their input. Then you work on removing the detritis previous input has left cluttering your mind. When you've quieted your mind, and stop the continual thoughts passing through from taking hold, you're in a position to know who you are. This knowledge may come slowly, or suddenly-- no way to find out until you get there.

Answer 6

the cogito that you just stated is a good starting point in answering your question. If you read Descartes you should know how he argued up to the point of that conclusion. you must exist in order to question your own existence. the physical reality can always be argued to be nothing more than an illusion; you can be dreaming. but to deny yourself, a "yourself" is needed to go through the act, or thought of denial. Descartes was able to deny every experience, every memory, but he coudln't deny the fact that he needed to exist in order to deny.

this quesiton might be geared more toward epistemology; more concerning human knowledge.

Answer 7

You have five senses that tell you of your own existence, a lack of trust in your own senses condemns you to uncertainties.
Utilizing all five senses as a cohesive unit lays waste to any doubt about your own existence.
You are a sentient creature at the top of the food chain with an intellect that is unparalleled in the animal kingdom. You have the ability to utilize both brain and senses to prove the reality of your own existence. How you do that is up to you. If you do that is up to you. If you refuse to use your commons sense then that is up to you. This is called free will.
You have the right to live a delusional life if you want but you have the tools in your brain and senses to live a more productive existence than a mere delusional mind game.
It's up to you.

Answer 8

NO.
Surety of existance is only a feeling.
Fear is a feeling. We often fear things that do not exist.

There are magicians who can make you feel that the Eiffel tower has disappeared.

You feel that you exist, using your brain.But it is easy to fool your brain. Consider this:

You think about a juicy lemon being cut.
Your mouth waters.
But where is the lemon?

Not all things make an impression.
Not all impressions are due to something.

Answer 9

Great question...... indeed there is no way to know for sure anything, leave alone one's own existence.

However, our will seems to be the closest thing we have that gives us the feeling of existence, since it originates from us and can impact on the external....... but then our will too may not be originating from our own existence and it may well be caused by another existence that remains hidden from our cognition!!

Answer 10

you don't need to understand reality to experience it

although i can't vouch for YOUR existence (you could be part of MY dream) i can say that i am experiencing right now.

i think questioning your own existence is a funny way of affirming it. if you can the question (at the very least in your own thoughts), you exist.