h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

No! You cant prove that you exist, except to yourself: I think therefore I am - Descartes - is the very basis of philosophy.

On the balance of probabilities, though, you ( and I!) almost certainly do exist. You'd get the nod from almost any jury ever on that!

Stephen

but how can you be so shure

I can be sure because knowledge of anything apart from the basic fact that I (not you or him or her) in some sense exist depends upon human senses which are - or at least may be - fallible and therefore cannot be relied upon.

I cant be certain about the jury, I have to rely on probabilities.

Stephen

ok then you see my point
we need ansewrs

The whole point is that there are no answers; not black and white cut and dried ones.

And what do you mean by need? The human race has existed for thousands of years without answers to questions of this sort and, as far as we can know, will continue to do so for thousands more. Philosophical questions are fascinating to some of us but the answers we need are to practical ones and will depend heavily on probabilities.

Stephen

The whole point is that there are no answers; not black and white cut and dried ones.

And what do you mean by need? The human race has existed for thousands of years without answers to questions of this sort and, as far as we can know, will continue to do so for thousands more. Philosophical questions are fascinating to some of us but the answers we need are to practical ones and will depend heavily on probabilities.

Stephen

i know that thair are no ansews but we could do with some clues