Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Building Belief in Solitude

Our own view of the world is all we have, all we know, and the only thing that reminds us we exist at all.  This appears to me as an obvious fact, but one which I'm always willing to explore other possibilities.  I must go on alone because there is no other way to go on.

All that we experience, we experience alone: we are conceived in darkness, alone, and we die into darkness, alone.  I shall say that all we have is our own thought, our self, to keep us company.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Being a Solipsist

As of this moment, whatever time may be, I cannot escape solipsism.  The obvious fact of it gnaws at me day and night, night and day, until I no longer have the will to fight it.  Well, that's a bit dramatic, but it's essentially true.  Solipsism is nigh impossible to prove or disprove, though both of those are really the same thing anyway.

Let's discuss solipsism, what it means, and how life changes if you look too closely.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Duality Trap

We cannot think except in pairs.  Something and nothing both gives and takes meaning from itself.  When an idea is introduced, it is understood in relation to something else; yet, if this something else is also an idea, then which idea is real?

Let's explore some of these duality traps on today's discourse with the Socratic Ape.

Friday, July 25, 2014

A Socratic Process

I am the Socratic Ape.

Ask the scary questions, then ask some more until ignorance becomes apparent or frustration prevents further inquiry.  This is my socratic process; this is the expression of my desire to understand why anything exists at all.

There is no subject unworthy, no theme that is taboo, and even nothingness is something to explore.  Join me, if you wish, as I trod the path to gibbering madness.

As an intro, here's an article I wrote about consciousness.