how do i alleviate fears of solipsism?

i know we cant actualy “prove” solipsism and cartesian skepticism false.

however there has to be arguments against them that show them logicaly false and incoherent in theory even if we cant prove it empericaly. i mean they are said to be self refuting right?

if so what are they?

Just because one can conceive of a scenario does not make that scenario a possibility. It’s as simple as that as far as I’m concerned. Simply because I at one time conceive of a scenario in which I am the only thing with any formal existence and all other things be simply ideas of this I thing does not warrant that this conception be a actual possibility. With solipsism people typically start out assuming it as a true, and then try to disprove it. This endeavor is futile. Solipsism is air tight. My way to dismiss it is through never even assuming it. I have no reason to think that this scenario is a possibility. Nothing suggests it.

Yet, even if solipsism is actual, I have no reason to despair. If that is my reality, then so be it. If it turns out that I am the creator of the world as I know it, then all the better. Imagine that; egoistic pantheism.

Cartesian skepticism is, in my opinion, unable to be overcome, at least under the paradigm he sets up. This is because Descartes takes it as a given that any scenario which he can conceive of is a real possibility, and so once he introduced the scenario in which his reasoning faulty so that it goes wrong even those times when he thinks he is perceiving something clearly and distinctively, he destroyed the foundations to his whole philosophy. He off course never admitted this. He couldn’t. He had labored too hard on the structure to have it fall because of a weak foundation.

Were we to, as I do, not to take it as a given that anything conceivable is actually possible, we would still come short of general knowledge about things.

First of all, its absurd and ad hoc. This should already be enough. If the mere possibility of something is enough to make you afraid its true, remember that anything could be possible.

Here’s a couple of further jabs at it.

a. If it’s all in your head, you’re one creative guy! All the weirdness, all the philosophy, all the science, every machine, every building, every book, all the music, every painting, the history of mankind. Go to the library and sample the good stuff. Don’t flatter yourself by thinking you’re behind it all! Just walk down the street and look around. I mean, really look around. Is this all a product of your little mind?

b. If it’s all in your head, you should either be able to control it, or then its part of the unconscious. This unconscious part of your brain then would cease to be an illusion and start to be an external, real universe. It wouldn’t be “fake” since for you, it’s the only thing that is, so its like the standard of real.

c. If it’s all in your head, you should know everything already, yet you don’t.

d. If all is in your head, communication would be unnecessary so there wouldn’t be any language.

I know that it’s not all in your head. :wink:

That still doesn’t solve the “brain in the vat” scenario.

The notion of solipsism, while seemingly unfalsifiable, is extremely far fetched. I’ll admit that I had a period during my formative years where I entertained the idea, but it was also reinforced by depression, anxiety, depersonalization/derealization, and overall existential angst. Because of this, I believe solipsism is a phase for many, never manifesting itself into a reliable philosophy to live your life by.

Ah, true, the author also mentioned cartesian skepticism ie. the malicious demon.

I suppose its all of secondary importance anyway since we can concieve of any number of unlikely scenarios that are entirely unfalsifiable.

Being a true solipsist requires the same type of blind faith that goes with theism. Like Yorick said, it’s impossible to truly verify.