tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Jul 18 17:06:35 1996
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Re: Any philosophers out there?
- From: "Garrett Michael Hayes" <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: Any philosophers out there?
- Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 20:00:28 -0400
- Organization: Client/Server Labs
- Priority: normal
On 17 Jul 96 at 9:34, [email protected] wrote:
> So, when I say {jIQubtaH vaj jIH}, I am not saying "I think
> therefore I exist," which is not the point of the original, but
> rather, "I think, I am actually conscious of my actions and what
> they mean, therefore I am an entity separate from the rest of the
> universe." In "I think, therefore I am," the "I am" refers to the
> state of being a closed, individual part of the universe, separate
> from it.
Actually, I believe you have it backwards. Descarte was indeed
concerned the with *fact* of existence, not with separation from the
rest of the universe.
"How do I know that I exist?" was the question with which he
grappled. He reasoned thus: It is quite possible to doubt that the
external universe we see and touch has any reality. It is very
possible to doubt that I am correct in how I perceive my physical
structure. But given the mere fact of my thoughts, I cannot doubt my
*existence*. I may be unable to prove anything else, but that I
exist, I do know.
'etlhqengwI'
(vuDmeywIjvaD jIngoy' jiH'e')