[alphil]

(Original post by Tier)
Try mixing solipsism with nihilism. Recipe for disaster.

Do you mean mereological nihilism?

[JustCharley]

Tell your friend to read some Wittgenstein. That will tell them why solipsism is simply not possible.

[viriol]

(Original post by JustCharley)
Tell your friend to read some Wittgenstein. That will tell them why solipsism is simply not possible.

Why not saving people the money and telling us yourself? You do know logic doesn't lose validity if it's not Wittgenstein using it, right?

[blueray]

Sorry you burst your bubble, but if your friend died would that still be his imagination?

Although this debate is good, I don't know how people can waste time on such pointless things, that is just my view.

[viriol]

(Original post by blueray)
Sorry you burst your bubble, but if your friend died would that still be his imagination?

Although this debate is good, I don't know how people can waste time on such pointless things, that is just my view.

Wasting time on pointless things is what tells man from ape.

[Tier]

(Original post by alphil)
Do you mean mereological nihilism?

No, the moral kind, but that is equally as interesting.

[Insanity514]

I think therefore I am?
I thought the "I" couldn't be assumed, so we can only say "thoughts exist"?

[miser]

(Original post by Insanity514)
I think therefore I am?
I thought the "I" couldn't be assumed, so we can only say "thoughts exist"?

The 'I' is not meant to be necessarily yourself (at least in the traditional way that you might think of yourself), but the experience of thoughts implies that there is at least some observer, and that observer is referred to as 'I'.

[Insanity514]

(Original post by miser)
The 'I' is not meant to be necessarily yourself (at least in the traditional way that you might think of yourself), but the experience of thoughts implies that there is at least some observer, and that observer is referred to as 'I'.

Ah right that makes more sense.

[Jabberwox]

If I'm the only person that exists, I dunno why my 'reality' decided to create all the crap that happens in the world...

[viriol]

(Original post by Jabberwox)
If I'm the only person that exists, I dunno why my 'reality' decided to create all the crap that happens in the world...

Because you're sick and should seek a shrink... oops, nevermind the last bit

[Snorrrlax]

(Original post by MrHayden)
I'm not quite sure why this position is given a second thought. If people start stating that they are the only thing that exists and anything else is a hallucination, there doesn't seem any reason to even carry on talking to them - they are clearly bonkers.

This guy has been a great friend since we were five years old. There doesn't seem to be anything "bonkers" about him, he just has this view on life - which is strange, but I'm starting to understand why people may feel this way.

[DanLorenzo]

Don't get me started on that ****.

I once thought that and I was freaked out for a good while.

[Snorrrlax]

(Original post by DanLorenzo)
Don't get me started on that ****.

I once thought that and I was freaked out for a good while.

How did you overcome it?

[DanLorenzo]

(Original post by Snorrrlax)
How did you overcome it?

I was seriously screwed for nearly a month. Just had to take my mind off it and keep focused on other things. Although I actually convinced myself that I didn't exist either. Started feeling really zoned out and sick. After a while it just subsided but it was not a good experience. I sometimes feel sick when I think about it, but without sounding corny, it seems to have toughened me up mentally as I don't really get affected by it anymore. At the end of the day what can I do? But yeah, it was freaky. Just had to relax and tell myself I was being paranoid.

Why? You get the same thoughts?

[Snorrrlax]

(Original post by DanLorenzo)
I was seriously screwed for nearly a month. Just had to take my mind off it and keep focused on other things. Although I actually convinced myself that I didn't exist either. Started feeling really zoned out and sick. After a while it just subsided but it was not a good experience. I sometimes feel sick when I think about it, but without sounding corny, it seems to have toughened me up mentally as I don't really get affected by it anymore. At the end of the day what can I do? But yeah, it was freaky. Just had to relax and tell myself I was being paranoid.

Why? You get the same thoughts?

Ah I see, well it's great that you came out of it okay! Yeah I do, more so recently. Although it doesnt seem to upset my friend, it upsets me.

[DanLorenzo]

(Original post by Snorrrlax)
Ah I see, well it's great that you came out of it okay! Yeah I do, more so recently. Although it doesnt seem to upset my friend, it upsets me.

Yeah it was pretty hard to overcome to begin with. If it ever starts to really bother you my advice would be to do something that takes your mind off of it or something that feels very real to you (running, talking and interacting with people etc.). Although the best for me was watching a funny film

[Your New Shoes]

Meh. Inference to the best explanation: other people most likely have minds. Also its just illogical for us to have a private language. Sometimes I think Wittgenstein is the only one worth ever paying attention to.
Also, I don't understand why people jump from 'I think therefore I am' to 'I exist'. If we are going to humour extreme theories then I'd like to think that the best conclusion is that we are just a succession of thoughts in space. There is no reason to say it is logical for thoughts to be properties of the mind, but to dismiss external properties caused by the mind. If that makes sense. I hate Descartes so much

Your friend hasn't read up on this enough, I'm sure. It's a stupid idea.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my HTC Wildfire S A510e