Philosophy

Solipsism: do others exist in your mind only?

Solipsism is one of the most interesting theories of mind. Why? I?ll tell you how solipsists define solipsism. Get ready, solipsism definition is as follows: one?s own mind is allthat can be known to exist. But what does solipsism really mean? Not only solipsists and philosophers in general know the meaning of solipsism ? also average people like you and me have probably experienced solipsism as a child (infant solipsism). Solipsism is so convincing that there is even a solipsism syndrome ? therefore you could actually suffer from solipsism. If you?re not afraid to start doubting in others? existence, continue reading?

Think about your childhood. What?s your first memory? Most people can trace their memories back to the time they were about 3 or 4 years old. You probably can?t remember from your own experience what had happened before your 3^rd birthday or even if you are it?s almost impossible to have any memories before 2^ndbirthday. How can you know what had happened before then?

Probably your parents told you that. But how can you know that your parents even exist? How can you know that you were born at all? Maybe it?s just a figment of your imagination? Solipsists claim that the only thing you can be sure about is your own mind. Therefore you cannot know that the outer world exists. There?s a possibility that you simply created the world you know and it exists in your inner mind only. Maybe I?m not the author of this blog and you simply created impression of someone else writing the Mind and Philosophy blog? I don?t know if you experienced this sort of thinking but I remember that I wondered about such a possibility when I was a child even without any philosophical knowledge. This is called infant solipsism and most of us (probably you as well) reject this way of thinking already in your childhood ? some of us don?t even remember that we thought this way as children. However, there are some philosophers who do not reject this point of view and claim that they can?t know if outer world exists or not. And there are even some philosophers who believe in metaphysical solipsism claiming that the self is the only real and independent reality.

Gorgias of Leontini
(c. 485 - c. 380 BC)

So let?s sum up the main ideas of solipsism. I?m presenting you with arguments of Gorgias of Leontini who is considered to be the father of solipsism.

Nothing exists
Even if something exists, nothing can be known about it
Even if something can be known about it, knowledge about it can't be communicated to others
Even if it can be communicated, it cannot be understood

Since it?s so difficult to prove these statements wrong most people reject them only because they feel they?re wrong (too learn more about perception of good and evil see the post about innatism); however, they still aren?t able to give any reason for rejecting solipsism. Probably you won?t be surprised that people who live in isolation for an extended period of time often question the reality of external world; sooner or later they will probably suffer from what is called solipsism syndrome (similar to depersonalization disorder); they will start believing that the world is nothing more than their minds? creation? Isn't it frightening?

Do you remember experiencing infant solipsism?

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