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Descartes' I think therefore I am has become a cliche, but it is profound. I can chuck any questioning about whether I actually exist or not. How do I know that

Descartes' I think therefore I am has become a cliche, but it is profound. I can chuck any questioning about whether I actually exist or not. How do I know that I exist? Well, because I am thinking. It's at this point all I (we?) can know with probability 1, metaphysically speaking. We could just be a brain in a box, stimulated to believe we are alive in this world. But at core, we (or at least I) do exist, brain-in-a-box status notwithstanding As for the rest, well, act as if it's all real and things will go better for you.

naasking 5y ago
> Descartes' I think therefore I am has become a cliche, but it is profound. I can chuck any questioning about whether I actually exist or not. How do I know that I exist? Well, because I am thinking. This is a common mistake. Cogito ergo sum actually assumes the conclusion by asserting the existence of "I" while asserting that "I" exists. The fallacy-free version is "this is a thought, therefore thoughts exist". Still profound, but it does not prove as much as you think.
- pmoriarty 5y ago
  "this is a thought, therefore thoughts exist" This is more of a tautology disguised as an argument, as the word "is" in that sentence already indicates existence. So that sentence can be rephrased as "this thought exists, therefore thoughts exist". Well, yeah, but that's not saying much... also the premise is arguable, since what do you even mean by "thought" and "exists", and how do you know either? A bit more fundamental would be "experience is" (without trying to break up experience in to artificial distinctions like "thought" and "non thought").. better yet is just saying "is" or pointing, and best is simple silence and basking in existence itself.