Existence

*Note: This is a journal about psychological and philosophical existence. If you aren't willing to let societal structure go, or if these sort of things make your head hurt, the Back button is your friend. Settle in, kiddies. I've been pondering again.

So, existence. We all think that we exist, and we all think that everyone else thinks they exist. But, what I want to know is, how do we know?

Over a year ago, I read Shutter Island for the first time. And then the movie came out, and I watched it a few hundred times. It brings up a very interesting question though. If someone isn't in the room, how do we know that they still exist? How do we know that they don't just disappear when they aren't with us? What proof do we have? (You'll also see this idea put to use in the Doctor Who episode, Silence in the Library.)

Now, I'm not seriously asking this as in, you're supposed to let go of everything you've been taught for the rest of your life. This is just a fun little game of pondering and inquiry.

If I ask you, "Bob, (because your name is Bob, obviously) how do you know that when I leave this room, I still exist?"

And you say, "Of course you still exist when you leave the room, Fred (because my name is Fred, obviously). You're bag is still here with all of your stuff."

And I say, "Well, what if I bring my stuff with me?"

And you say, "That's preposterous, Fred. You still exist because other people tell me stories about the stupid things you've done."

And I say, "But if I'm just a projection of your mind, and everyone else is just a projection of your mind, then how do you know those stories are true?"

And you say, "Stop being silly, Fred. There's footprints in the snow there that I didn't make, and there's garbage in that garbage can that doesn't belong to me. That means that other people are real."

And I say, "But if you didn't observe someone making those footprints, or someone throwing away that garbage, how do you know that those things truly exist as well?"

At this point, Bob, you've probably got quite the head ache, or you want to strangle me. I don't blame you one bit. But how do you know?

If everything was just a figment of your imagination, then how do you prove it otherwise?

This fits in nicely with the psychological "Brain In A Jar" theory. Sort of a Matrix idea. That we are all really just brains in a jar, being stimulated by something or someone that makes us believe there is a reality around us.

Believe me, I've really been getting into this theory. It's mind-boggling.

Let's back up. If you haven't watched/read Shutter Island, or if you aren't a Doctor Who fan, let me tell you the examples, and then give you one I've always wanted to try.

In Shutter Island, there is a scene in which one of the main characters of the story is completely removed. Now, the main main character (Teddy) is trying to figure out what happened to him. He asks, "Have you seen my partner?" The answer he receives is, "I'm not sure what you're talking about. You came here alone."

Bam. The other guy doesn't exist, and Teddy has no proof to say otherwise. He says, "I spent all of my time with this guy. You saw me with him." And they answer, "I have no idea what you're talking about." So, what can he do? How can he prove his partner ever existed? Did he ever exist? Since he's not present at that moment, does the memory of something prove an existence?

I have an imaginary friend as a child. I have memories of that imaginary friend. Does that mean that it existed?

Second example from Silence in the Library. Donna Noble is put into a fake reality within a computer program and she has two "children". As she begins to realize that these children aren't real they say to her, "Sometimes when you're not around, it feels like we just stop existing." So, when Donna doesn't observe them, they don't exist. Same problem. How do we prove that they do?

And finally, before I leave you all to leave me comments that either refute me, agree with me, or tell me how confused you are, I tell you my idea that I want to try.

I'm in college right now, going to an average sized university in Wisconsin. I have a philosophy class and a psychology class, along with many others that don't really tie into this idea. What I've always really wanted to do, is test this out in a classroom.

My plan would be to wait until someone goes to the bathroom, then take the person sitting next to them (ideally someone they speak to quite often), and remove them and all of their things from the classroom. Then, (and this is the part where I really think people wouldn't play along well enough), when that person comes back, act as though their friend never existed.

When they ask where they went, you say no one was ever there. Look at them with worry when they insist someone exists that you claim never did.

Then, when they become very disgruntled, you say that you're going to appease them, and if they can prove that person exists, you'll agree with them.

I'm betting they won't be able to.

Feeling very philosophical today,
Fred