Absolute certainty

@Aedes,

Aedes wrote:

You might argue that deeper down everything we consciously do requires absolute confidence in our existence. But since we seldom think about this issue, I'm not sure that that argument really holds -- we do a lot of things in life without ever pondering our existence.

Yes, in short that is my argument. And this confidence over-rules any intellectual arguments, because they require consious action (thought), which is based on this confidence.

If a person is completely unable, even theoretically, to act contrary to a certain belief, then I would call that person absolutely certain of that belief.

@Stormalv,

We're awfully capricious creatures. Certainty and belief are usually subordinate to impulse and emotion. It makes it hard to truly understand our rational selves without making huge allowances for our irrational aspects.

@NeitherExtreme,

NeitherExtreme wrote:

If a person is completely unable, even theoretically, to act contrary to a certain belief, then I would call that person absolutely certain of that belief.

This would negate the possibility of choice. Theoretically someone can act contrary to a certain belief at any moment due to being a rational being, thus, being granted the ability to choose. Therefore, it is impossible to come to an absolute certainty on beliefs.

@Stormalv,

Moreover, you can act contrary to a certain belief at any moment due to being an irrational being. This is probably more relevant, in the end -- people very commonly do self-destructive things that they know are wrong.

@Aedes,

I wrote this some time ago and thought it fitting here:

[CENTER]FREE

[CENTER]Finite are the horizons of our minds.
Infinite is the universe beyond.
Internal and external horizons are finite thoughts,
whereas internal and external thoughts without horizons are infinitely one.
Horizons then, are the walls of thought that confine and divide us from truth.
Infinite then, is truly free![/CENTER]

[CENTER]=
MJA[/CENTER]
[/CENTER]

@MJA,

How would you act contrary to the belief that you exist?

@Stormalv,

Contrary to existence, what is that?

=
MJA

@MJA,

I have found a castle in the sky that reaches to boundless eternity and to the equally sublime height of infinite, all built on an unshakable foundation of the most simple philosophy, of absolute certainty, of truth.
Oh what a lovely place to be!
And your always welcome if your truly free, to come if you want, and see.

=
MJA

@MJA,

MJA wrote:

I have found a castle in the sky that reaches to boundless eternity and to the equally sublime height of infinite, all built on an unshakable foundation of the most simple philosophy, of absolute certainty, of truth.
Oh what a lovely place to be!
And your always welcome if your truly free, to come if you want, and see.

=
MJA

UNFORTUNATELY: the eternal cannot be based on the INFINITE, and nor can it be BOUNDLESS, these are just words I'm afraid...

@Anthrobus,

Anthrobus wrote:

UNFORTUNATELY: the eternal cannot be based on the INFINITE, and nor can it be BOUNDLESS, these are just words I'm afraid...

"Just words" are also equal words, absolute certain words, or true words and nothing to be "afraid" of, don't you know?
And "cannot" is your self made boundary keeping you from the eternal freedom to see. 'Can' is The infinitely boundless Way to go.
To be One with the universe you have to be truly free!

=
MJA

@Stormalv,

Stormalv said:

Quote:

But you still exist, no matter where the reality comes from.

No. I still seem to exist. But my seeming reality is not absolute proof that I exist.

@Stormalv,

The COLOUR BLUE contains all the possible shades of blue: is the COLOUR BLUE, finite or infinite, being probably finite and possibly infinite?

@Anthrobus,

Anthrobus wrote:

The COLOUR BLUE contains all the possible shades of blue: is the COLOUR BLUE, finite or infinite, being probably finite and possibly infinite?

If you wish to measure or judge the color blue, I can tell you with absolute certainty that measure has no certainty at all.

Life without uncertainty is as absolutely true as the color blue and the blue by you.

=
MJA

@OctoberMist,

OctoberMist wrote:

Stormalv said:

No. I still seem to exist. But my seeming reality is not absolute proof that I exist.

Oh dear, not certain of Oneself; but I am certain of you.
Does that help?

=
MJA

@Stormalv,

OF THIS I AM ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN: that BEING is defined by itself, and not by NON-BEING...BEING is EVERYTHING, and NON-BEING is NOTHING. BEING therefore is self-defined, whereas NON-BEING cannot even be referred to...

@Anthrobus,

Anthrobus wrote:

OF THIS I AM ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN: that BEING is defined by itself, and not by NON-BEING...BEING is EVERYTHING, and NON-BEING is NOTHING. BEING therefore is self-defined, whereas NON-BEING cannot even be referred to...

Unicorns do not exist, but can't we refer to unicorns?
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@Anthrobus,

Anthrobus;34834 wrote:

OF THIS I AM ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN: that BEING is defined by itself, and not by NON-BEING...BEING is EVERYTHING, and NON-BEING is NOTHING. BEING therefore is self-defined, whereas NON-BEING cannot even be referred to...

Lao Tzu, if he ever existed, would have a problem with this. To paraphrase the Tao Te Ching, you build a house out of walls, but it's the empty space inside that makes it useful; you make a cup out of clay, but it's the empty space inside that makes it useful. Nonexistence balances existence, and things that exist are defined by the nonexistence around them.

@Stormalv,

Unicorns do not exist, but can't we refer to unicorns?...UNICORNS exist in our imagination: they therefore have an imaginary existence. There is such a thing as the appearance without the substance...a mirror image for instance...or the phantasmagoria...

@Aedes,

Aedes wrote:

Lao Tzu, if he ever existed, would have a problem with this. To paraphrase the Tao Te Ching, you build a house out of walls, but it's the empty space inside that makes it useful; you make a cup out of clay, but it's the empty space inside that makes it useful. Nonexistence balances existence, and things that exist are defined by the nonexistence around them.

Lao Tzu, would have no problem with what I stated. SPACE is not NOTHING it is SOMETHING...non-existence does not balance existence, and things that exist are not defined by the non-existence around them...

@Stormalv,

Semantics. Space is nothingness until something fills it. Non-existence is potentiality.

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Absolute certainty

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