Philosophy Now Forum

Examples:
You say: "I think therefore I am'
Ever negating person: "Thoughts are not. I am not."
You say: "You are negating therefore you are"
Ever negating person: "Negation is not. I am not. Existence is not."
etc....
Suppose there is a person who denies, negates everything. How to prove to him his existence?

cut off his head

if he tries to stop you, he exists; if he doesn't, well then I guess he doesn't exist...

-Imp

Agree with him: "You convinced me. You don't exist." and walk by as if he didn't.

Medication may help some. Seeing as they don't exist, they shouldn't mind taking a scoop of them.

Oh, alright then. One or two every 8 hours, but don't call me in the morning. I feel negated before my first coffee.

Skip wrote:Agree with him: "You convinced me. You don't exist." and walk by as if he didn't.

I'm with you, skip. I'd want the conversation over with as quickly as possible because I reckon watching my grass grow would be vastly more intellectually stimulating.

I kick, therefore you hurt.

Rinse and repeat until they accept their circumstances.

What is our culture devolving into? Is this not an overreaction to someone doubting his own existence?

cut off his head

I'd hate to see your response to an actual threat.
I mean, if he said you don't exist, this might be more appropriate

I kick, therefore you hurt.

though hardly necessary.

Skip wrote:
What is our culture devolving into? Is this not an overreaction to someone doubting his own existence?

cut off his head

I'd hate to see your response to an actual threat.
I mean, if he said you don't exist, this might be more appropriate

I kick, therefore you hurt.

though hardly necessary.

'Harder'? Oh, 'hardly'...

eljockey101 wrote:Examples:
You say: "I think therefore I am'
Ever negating person: "Thoughts are not. I am not."
You say: "You are negating therefore you are"
Ever negating person: "Negation is not. I am not. Existence is not."
etc....
Suppose there is a person who denies, negates everything. How to prove to him his existence?

1) Strawman.
2) Negation is not is a contradiction; so is existence is not.
3) You need to get out more.

eljockey101 wrote:Examples:
You say: "I think therefore I am'
Ever negating person: "Thoughts are not. I am not."
You say: "You are negating therefore you are"
Ever negating person: "Negation is not. I am not. Existence is not."
etc....
Suppose there is a person who denies, negates everything. How to prove to him his existence?

You have to think to say something, therefore he is.

Ask him if he ever bought toilet paper!

Why anyone would spend one second proving their existence is beyond me. If that has to be established, all statements can be refuted.

Impenitent wrote:cut off his head

if he tries to stop you, he exists; if he doesn't, well then I guess he doesn't exist...

-Imp

Excellent.
More to the point as you attempt to slice his head off he will (likely) come to the only reasonable conclusion, that yes HE exists!

This 'negating person' is not making an argument but just repeating a mantra. For a proper argument against existence check out the literature of mysticism. The fact is that existence cannot be proved even to a reasonable person. Hell, few people would even be able to define what they mean by it.