Sunday, August 12, 2007

Theory of ir-relativity, or the old in-out

Here's a taste of my thoughts of late. I'm sure there's nothing here that hasn't been considered before by some philosopher way smarter than me. And I'm sure that this has been all figured out and written down somewhere that I can find it and answer these questions I'm just starting to ask. But for now, I want to figure this out myself. Here's what I wrote earlier.



--

I figured it out.

It's not faith, it's not choice. It's the theory of ir-relativity.

Let's say there are only two possible realities – Inside or Outside. (If reality is Inside, then outside still exists, only it's an illusion. If reality is Outside, then inside still exists as the mind.)

It is impossible to prove which is the true reality – there's no way to show to myself that I am awake. Two days ago, I decided that my willingness to believe that Outside is real can only be based on faith. This faith is the only one instance of blind faith we all need to get by.

However, let's reconsider. Up until recently, I believed in Outside, without even knowing that I believed because, I never once thought that life could be any other way. Then, ten years ago or more, I discovered "I think therefore I am" and I started to consider Inside. But I still believed in Outside.

However, what if I don't bother believing in either? Since I can't prove if I'm awake or dreaming, the question of In or Out becomes irrelevant. Since neither can be disproved, then let them both be right.

Reality is inside and outside simultaneously. Faith is not required.

2 comments:

Sinisilma said...

I meant to say when we were chatting the other night: you're taking "I think therefore I am," out of its full context, and getting only half the meaning.

Descartes's discovery wasn't just that he existed. His full discovery was that because he thought, he knew he existed - but that absolutely nothing else could be counted on. Thats the full meaning of it - "'I' think, therefore 'I' am - but the rest of it is moot."

So it has a negative meaning as well as a positive. It could also be phrased as "I can never know if anything or anyone else really exists - but I know I do."

John The Bad said...

Good man, Bob but I'm afraid I already knew that.

From my scribbling last week:

I know I'm alive, that I exist; I think, therefore I am. This is the only concrete certainty in life.