“Apparently, there is a 50-50 chance that we live in a simulated world. What does philosophy make of this possibility?” Thank you, Wynn P Wheldon. Actually, this question has been central to philosophy for a very long time now, and, as usual, there is no simple answer to it. It raises attached questions, such as: […]
What if it’s all just a simulation? Read More
Thank you, Curtis L. Delyn, for such a significant question. It is generally agreed that Plato came up with the classical definition of knowledge as “justified true belief”. This has been incredibly influential; many philosophers have accepted some form of this definition by filling in the relevant concepts with various theories and interpretations. Here, truth
Can we ever really trust that we know anything? Read More
Thank you, Brian Eckelman, for such a perceptive question. It is a massive question. Here, I will focus just on what creates our understanding of reality within society. I want to draw a separation between ‘real effects’ and ‘reality’: something can have a real effect upon us, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is
Does perception dictate reality? Read More
Thank you, Terry Sweet, for a great question! Those familiar with philosophy will know that philosophers, in approaching any kind of question, try to be as precise as possible about the words they use. Philosophy is characterized as the quest for truth; there can be little or no room for ambiguity. In approaching this question,
Do guide dogs know that their owners are blind? Read More
