Solipsism: What It Is, Characteristics, Examples And Criticisms Of This Philosophy
“I only know that I exist, and everything else exists only in my mind.” In this way the main idea of solipsism could be defined, a doctrine belonging to subjectivism that maintains that the only thing we can be sure of is our own Self.
Present in the ideas of Descartes and Berkeley, this radical current points out that we can only affirm that the Self itself exists, something that, in reality, is empirically correct, although it has not been freed from a multitude of criticisms. Let’s delve into what solipsism is and what its main postulates are
The word “solipsism” is composed of the Latin “solus” (alone) and “ipse” (same), meaning “oneself alone.” The name of this doctrine is quite introductory, since it is the philosophical current that states that only our own consciousness exists and that everything around us is, in reality, a product of our imagination or a representation created by ourselves Solipsists believe that nothing really exists except the Self and our mind.
For solipsism, each individual can only certify the existence of his mind. The reality, according to this doctrine, is that it is the result of our mental state. What we call “real” or “external” can only be understood through the Self, since there is no other concrete reality beyond such a Self It is not possible to have knowledge of an objective reality, since there is none, which is why solipsism is said to be a current of subjectivism and seen as radical.
Main postulates of solipsism
Within solipsism we can highlight the following postulates:
Solipsism affirms that each one, as an individual, can only confirm its own existence and no other What makes up our “reality,” such as things, animals, plants, and people, can exist for me and may or may not have consciousness.
2. Our thoughts are the only true thing
Each person’s thoughts are the only truly true elements of our reality There is nothing in the world but the individual and the consciousness of him.
3. One’s own experiences are private
Our own experiences are private It is not possible to know the experiences of others, nor to know if they are similar to one’s own.
4. The self is the only real existence
The Self itself is the only real existence, and what we know as the external world It is nothing more than a perception that comes from within our “I” Everything is reduced to the sphere of the Self and we cannot escape from it. Nothing has real independence.
5. Conscious mind vs. unconscious mind
Solipsists divide the universe into two On the one hand, we would have the part controlled by our conscious mind, and on the other, the part controlled by the unconscious mind.
6. Science doesn’t work
From the solipsistic perspective, science does not make sense because all knowledge starts and is created from the individual’s own sensation
Related article: “The 4 main types of science (and their fields of research)”
Solipsistic philosophy
It is inevitable to talk about solipsism without mentioning the figure of René Descartes and his epistemological idealism. Well-known is his phrase “I think, therefore I am”, or “cogito ergo sum” for those who prefer the Latin saying. The point is that the idea behind this saying emanates an evident existential solipsism, with the idea that reality is composed from our own being, our own existence.
Descartes considered that our knowledge was knowledge of ideas Knowledge about the shape, size, color and other qualities of things would not be, in the opinion of the French philosopher, knowledge of such things, but rather the idea of such things, which have been formed in our consciousness from what that we perceive. In this way, the content of my knowledge would be the ideas of my conscience.
We have another solipsistic perspective in metaphysical idealism, whose one of its greatest champions was George Berkeley. This Irish philosopher and bishop thought that, in reality, the world that we call external to the mind did not exist independently of our mind. For him, walking through the world would be similar to walking through the mind.
You may be interested: “René Descartes: biography of this French philosopher”
Criticism of solipsism
Although, certainly, the only thing we can be sure of is our own individual existence, the truth is that there are many arguments that debunk solipsistic ideas. One of them is the existence of suffering: If it is actually an individual creation, why would someone take it upon themselves to create suffering for themselves?
Another would be the existence of language: why do we need to have a communication system to use with other people if they do not exist outside our minds?
Another argument to criticize solipsism is the idea of death, whether natural or caused by another person Given this, the question is inevitable as to whether what happens to the mind after death, does it survive or does it go with the body? And if we are killed, is the attack real or imaginary? Why do we believe/imagine the end of life? What’s the point of being murdered by something that is a product of our mind?
The existence of pain is very difficult to justify if we are the only creators of reality. Faced with such criticism, solipsists maintain that, in reality, the pain that we “cause” ourselves has a purpose, either as a kind of unconscious karma or a search to feel new emotions and, thus, feel alive. Some solipsists are directly denialists of pain and death, which do not exist, defending that it is people outside of solipsism who believe in these phenomena because they are subject to different sociocultural impositions.
Another counterargument to the criticism of solipsists, both related to pain and language, is the need not to get bored That’s right, some solipsists defend that both pain and communication arise so that we do not feel boredom. While the detractors of solipsism maintain that language is used to communicate with other humans, since solipsists do not admit the existence of others, they defend that it is used to entertain ourselves, imagining other people and conversing with them.
Related article: “Are we rational or emotional beings?”
Some examples of solipsism
As a final point, we are going to talk about some properly solipsistic examples extracted from cinema and literature.
Life is a dream (Calderón de la Barca, 1635)
In this work by the Spanish writer we are told about Sigismund who, being locked in a tower throughout his life and without real contact with the outside, He wonders if the world he sees through the window is real or, on the contrary, an invention of his own consciousness to escape from their sad reality.
The Electric Ant (Philip K. Dick, 1969)
This science fiction story has as its protagonist Garson Poople who, after suffering a traffic accident, wakes up and begins to experience strange things. He is missing a hand, he has become an electric and robotic ant, and His reality seems to be created through a microperforated tape located on his chest Garson believes that his entire reality is made up and that the only thing real is himself.
Open your eyes (Alejandro Amenábar, 1997)
This film stars César, a rich and handsome young man, lucky to have everything he wants. However, one day his life changes 180º when he suffers a traffic accident that disfigures his face and in which a girl dies. From then on, his life becomes hell, losing his beauty and his girlfriend. To escape such a tragic fate, César is creating a parallel reality in which he is happy, but in the end it will make you unable to distinguish between what is real and what is not. Caesar realizes that everything that exists has actually been created by his mind.
