At 10:21 PM 12/14/99 -0500, you wrote:
Since you have said that we are all zombies, Mr. Fabulich, this would mean
that you also believe that we do not Experience anything. This ultimately
would seem to be very much akin to the question of whether or not anything
exists, in the sense that both questions may, at least informally, be
answered in the same manner. Perhaps you're familiar with the story. I
forget the names, but let's call them Philosopher A and Philosopher B.
Philosopher A is going on at length about how nothing actually exists.
Philosopher B throws a rock at his head.
Apocryphal, sure. The point is that ultimately there comes a point where it
is silly (read: renders no or negative utility) to doubt certain things. Or
rather, to allow such doubt to hinder either one's decision-making process
or one's logical argumentation. Do you doubt that the car that is speeding
towards you is actually there? That's fine, as long as you step out of the
way of that oncoming "non-existent" car. In the same token, there are
inevitable base assumptions which must be made before any philosophy becomes
meaningful: first principles, immediate knowledge, etc.. These things arise
from experience. Without the experience, there /is/ no basis upon which
other arguments may be built. It is possible that there is no experience,
as it is possible that nothing exists. However, in a forum for
non-existential philosophy, either these doubts must be rendered
meaningless, or eveything else. I chose the doubts, so that I may use my
experiences as valid philosophical tools.
Kathryn Riley
>>Is "now" a qualium? Can a zombie experience "time" ("duration", not
>>mere metrical numeration)?
>
>A zombie can't Experience anything, though he could refer to "now" just
>by saying it or 'thinking' it.
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