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Single Idea 5362

[from 'Problems of Philosophy' by Bertrand Russell, in 11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 4. Solipsism ]

Full Idea

No logical absurdity results from the hypothesis that the world consists of myself and my thoughts and feelings and sensations, and that everything else is mere fancy.

Gist of Idea

It is not illogical to think that only myself and my mental events exist

Source

Bertrand Russell (Problems of Philosophy [1912], Ch. 2)

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'The Problems of Philosophy' [OUP 1995], p.10


A Reaction

The only real attempt to meet this challenge is Wittgenstein's Private Language Argument, which tried to show that it would be a logical impossibility to speak a language if there were no other minds. Personally, I am with Russell.

Related Idea

Idea 23497 Solipsism is correct, but can only be shown, not said, by the limits of my personal language [Wittgenstein]