Prove You Exist

[shatter..]

I would like you guys prove your existence and prove this isn't all some imaginary world. Or some other reason that we don't exist or do exist.

[ImCoolBeans]

I honestly can't. This is kind of similar to the thought of a parallel universe. We can't totally disprove them but we can't exactly prove them either. It's a really intriguing thought.

[Noirtier]

"Cogito ergo sum."

This was the phrase coined by famed philosopher René Descartes in 1644. In English, it is known as "I think, therefore I am." In the Principles of Philosophy, he describes it in this way:

This proposition, I think, therefore I am, is the first and the most certain which presents itself to whoever conducts his thoughts in order.

This is generally the view that I have taken for myself, how I know that I exist. It's a famous one, and yes, every view has flaws. At the end of the day, one cannot simply prove that one exists, or that another exists, because one is not the other person. However, if you think, and if I think, then should we not both exist? Please understand that all this is being said from a philosophical point of view as well.

[Lost in the Echo]

You see this post, right? Well this is real :P

Seriously though, you can't really prove that something like life is real.
I've thought about it before, and it' just something you can't prove.

It's scary to think that "life" is imaginary, but you just go along with it.

We're just humans, we can't prove EVERYTHING to be true or false, like if life is imaginary, or if god is real, anything like that ust cannot be proven.
Even though we are a pretty advanced species, we don't have all of life's answers, or can't prove that life is even real. You just have to go with it and make the best of what you can out of life, or whatever this is.

[Azunite]

"Cogito ergo sum."


The bacteria do not think, the funghi do not think, yet they exist.

Bam.

[Barny]

"Cogito ergo sum"
"I think, therefore I am"

A philosophical Latin statement proposed by René Descartes. The simple meaning of the phrase is that someone wondering whether or not he or she exists is, in and of itself, proof that something, an "I", exists to do the thinking.

[Magus]

It proves that only that person exists, but it doesn't prove the existence of others.

[Pierce]

I can't. I exist as much as everyone else does.

[Professional Russian]

in some way shape or form we have to exist. i dont know how to explain it how to prove it

[Barny]

I would like you guys prove your existence and prove this isn't all some imaginary world. Or some other reason that we don't exist or do exist.

I don't need to reference other organisms, but anyway, you guys are referring to cognitive thought, being able to ponder things in detail, what plants, bacteria etc. do is know what to do genetically, plants sense gravity so the roots grow downwards and things such as that. So far humans are the only known organism capable of cognitive thought.

[Magus]

I don't need to reference other organisms, but anyway, you guys are referring to cognitive thought, being able to ponder things in detail, what plants, bacteria etc. do is know what to do genetically, plants sense gravity so the roots grow downwards and things such as that. So far humans are the only known organism capable of cognitive thought.

Most higher level organism are capable of cognitive thought.

[Barny]

Most higher level organism are capable of cognitive thought.

What do you mean by that? A deity of some sort?

[Magus]

What do you mean by that? A deity of some sort?

Mammals and some Avians.

[Human]

it's impossible to. cogito ergo sum... so as far as i'm concerned i'm real... or am i?

Mammals and some Avians.

what about octopus?

Merged double post. -Gigablue

[TheSocialInspector]

Touch something. You feel it? That's basic order of living to feel. Since you can "feel" it, there is a perspective that you are touching it, and therefore the item you are touching is real.

Unless the advance of our supposedly imaginary word has so terrifyingly been made to even deceive our own bodies.

[Jupiter]

very good idea for a thread.

i don't think i can prove that i exist. but i'll give you my word, i, eric, am not a rob- rob- rob *hits* robot.

[Magus]

it's impossible to. cogito ergo sum... so as far as i'm concerned i'm real... or am i?

My challenge to that precept is that, you are only giving yourself the idea that you can think, therefore you exist, does not necessarily means you do.

what about octopus?
You can add that, but I did not heed to marine organism.

Touch something. You feel it? That's basic order of living to feel. Since you can "feel" it, there is a perspective that you are touching it, and therefore the item you are touching is real.

Unless the advance of our supposedly imaginary word has so terrifyingly been made to even deceive our own bodies.

To quote Morpheus.

"If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then 'real' is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain"

[ReginaGeorge]

How do you know if you're not just imaging my reply? :cool:

[PinkFloyd]

All i can say is that if I wake up right now and learn that this was all a game and that everything i grew to love was fake, then i would wake up from that, and it wouldnt stop. EVER. the cycle would just keep repeating its self. :eek:

[Magus]

How do you know if you're not just imaging my reply? :cool:Imagination and the fact of existence are two different things.

[Korashk]

You people are overburdening the concept of proof. Proof doesn't mean that there's absolutely no doubt, it just means that there is a reasonable explanation. For instance, the mere fact that we're all posting here IS proof that we all exist. If an admin were to look they would see that we all have different IP addresses, and are posting from different places.

Is it POSSIBLE that one person is spoofing IP addresses and pretending to be multiple people? Sure. However, this is a meaningless possibility because of it's utter ridiculousness. The existence of alternative explanations means nothing if there isn't a reasonable chance of those alternatives occurring. Which is where proof comes in.

Therefore, the fact that I am posting this is proof that I exist.

[CharlieHorse]

I know how to prove whether or not our world is simulated by a computer. If we can find an algorithm to predict the outcome of an accepted random occurance 100% accuratly and 100% of the time, then we found the algorithm that our creator computor uses to simulate the randomness.

long story short, no, we will never know whether or not our world is real or not.
spin a top and see if it ever stops spinning.

[ReginaGeorge]

Imagination and the fact of existence are two different things.

Calm down, Mr. Politically Correct.

[Magus]

Therefore, the fact that I am posting this is proof that I exist.

The fact that you are posting this, doesn't proves your existence, but it proves that you have written something.

Calm down, Mr. Politically Correct.
:lol:

I know how to prove whether or not our world is simulated by a computer. If we can find an algorithm to predict the outcome of an accepted random occurance 100% accuratly and 100% of the time, then we found the algorithm that our creator computor uses to simulate the randomness.

long story short, no, we will never know whether or not our world is real or not.
spin a top and see if it ever stops spinning.

Super computer uses a complex algorithm to predict climate change for the next years. There is no automation.

For example, there is an algorithm for dropping liquids. Something you'd predict to be random, is actually locked to an algorithm.

No sooner you will find your answer. But even if we are in a simulation, that doesn't change the fact that the top tier is also a simulation or that it doesn't factually exist.

[CharlieFinley]

For example, there is an algorithm for dropping liquids. Something you'd predict to be random, is actually locked to an algorithm.

No sooner you will find your answer. But even if we are in a simulation, that doesn't change the fact that the top tier is also a simulation or that it doesn't factually exist.

Those aren't accepted to be random events. The only random event I can think of is radioactive decay.

[TheBigUnit]

"i think therefore i am" - shanecoleman

[Aajj333]

I can type this

[Mikedamaniak]

The bacteria do not think, the funghi do not think, yet they exist.

Bam.

Nope. Nothing has to think to exist, even though thinking proves existence. Bacteria cannot prove their own existence.

[Azunite]

Nope. Nothing has to think to exist, even though thinking proves existence. Bacteria cannot prove their own existence.

I still find the "I think, I am" thing stupid.

Yes we can think. But it doesn't change the fact that there is a chance we are stuck in a computer simulation. And since we are capped only to think to some extent, we cannot realize that we are in a computer game.

Or when we get close to finding it out, the simulation gives the order to your brain and then you say: "Oh fuck that it's complete bullshit."

(This whole sim. thing is an example of course)

[Magus]

Those aren't accepted to be random events. The only random event I can think of is radioactive decay.And I thought it is predefined(as in, after certain time, an atom undergoes decay - and we know when it will occur after the atom is made). Oh, well.

[CharlieFinley]

And I thought it is predefined(as in, after certain time, an atom undergoes decay - and we know when it will occur after the atom is made). Oh, well.

Hmm. I could be wrong, then. All I know is that a TED talk about randomness was used to promote a mathematician's idea of using radioactive decay to generate truly random numbers.