Ideas from 'Proof of an External World' by G.E. Moore [1939], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Epistemology - An Anthology' (ed/tr Sosa,E. /Kim,J.) [Blackwell 2000,0-631-19724-9]].

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11. Knowledge Aims / B. Certain Knowledge / 2. Common Sense Certainty
I can prove a hand exists, by holding one up, pointing to it, and saying 'here is one hand'
                        Full Idea: I can prove now that two human hands exist. How? By holding up my two hands, and saying, as I make a certain gesture with the right hand, 'Here is one hand', and adding, as I gesture with the left, 'and here is another'.
                        From: G.E. Moore (Proof of an External World [1939], p.1)
                        A reaction: The words need to be spoken, presumably, so that what he is doing fits into the linguistic conventions of what will normally be accepted as a proof. In fact, just holding the hand up seems enough. The proof begs the question of virtual reality.