For instance Quantic Mechanics and Corpuscular Theory address matter behaviour in a different way, and you say that is not relevant...

But, what has any of this to do with the question of the thread? Why not stay with the question instead of wandering about all over the place. Forgetting about matter, what does it mean to say that an elephant exists, but a mermaid does not exist. You can answer that without even mentioning quantum mechanics. Most people do who have never even heard of quantum mechanics. We can talk about something without talking about everything at once. If we do that, we may get somewhere, instead of ending up in total confusion, and not settling anything at all.

Straight to the point...you have no way of proving that your conception of an Elephant corresponds to an Elephant...You perceive something that you conceptualize as being an Elephant, but what it is itself you can?t tell...simple !

...SO WHEN YOU SPEAK OF ELEPHANTS YOUR NOT THAT FAR WAY FROM MERMAIDS...



Regards>FILIPE DE ALBUQUERQUE

---------- Post added 10-26-2009 at 11:41 AM ----------

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If you think there are no mermaids and not elephants, then fine. But then, what does that mean? That is the question posed by this thread.

OK fair !

What I mean mainly is that a don?t Know what there are...

You don't know there are elephants, and that there are no mermaids? Hmm.

Close...I don?t know what Elephants in fact are beyond my perception of them...:a-ok:

If they are in the Zoo, and you are not in the Zoo, then, no doubt that is true. Going to the Zoo would fix that.Then you will be able to see them. But what would that have to do with whether you know that there are elephants? I am not in the Zoo, but I know that there are elephants. I don't have to see the elephants to know there are elephants. No more than I have to see Portugal to know that there is a country called Portugal.

In other words you are certain that perception equals reality while I think its equivalent but not equal...in both cases its a belief...

And, I don't have to perceive elephants to know that there are elephants. And, neither do you.

How come ? Don?t follow...

That?s also perception...And there is Social perception...dont tell me that you think that the Sun goes around Earth just because people use to think so...besides, even if Social Perception as common grounds it never matches Individual perception...

What does the fact that people used to think the Sun goes around the Earth to do with my knowing about anything? I know that there is a letter in my postbox because the postman brought it. Don't I? I don't know what is meant by "Social Perception". But I know many things indirectly, by inference. And that includes by knowing that there is a country called Japan, although I have never been there. And I don't suppose you have ever been to Nepal, but you know there is such a country, nevertheless. Don't you?

You might at best Know that there is something, but not what...

I know there is a country called, "Portugal". Don't you? And I know there is a country called, "Spain". Don't you?

What Portugal is I don?t know in fact i would very much appreciate your help...

Fernando Pessoa with is heteronim Bernardo Soares, one of many, in is unique "Book of Disquiet" would certainly explain it better than me...
(if you don?t know this writer, especially this book, and you love literature, get it...goggle him for some background, for many one of the 10 best writers ever)

Regards>FILIPE DE ALBUQUERQUE