The question whether an external world exists or not, is one that the Skeptic believes to be impossible to give an answer to, since the Skeptic cannot know if he is in a state of dreaming or a brain in a vat. The Skeptic cannot distinguish between those states and the states of consciousness; therefore, he does not attempt to explain the idea that there could be an external world.
The philosopher G.E. Moore attempts to explain why he believes that the external world exists. He does this by showing his hands and explaining that that is what gives him the reason to know that there is an external world. I will elaborate his explanation and show how he tries to defend himself.
To be able to decide whether we think that Moore’s response to the Skeptic is successful or not, I will be putting myself in the position of a Skeptic. This will make it easier to understand what is going on in the Skeptic’s mind and why the Skeptic thinks the way he does. So, I will show first what skepticism of the external world is about and why I, as a Skeptic, feel like there is not enough proof to be able to judge about the existence of the external world. I will show how Moore responds to my idea and show how it is not sufficient to persuade a Skeptic of the existence of the external world.
The goal of this paper is therefore to show if Moore would be successful if talking to a Skeptic and if we can say that his argument is bad, or maybe good, or simply not enough.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Skepticism
- External World Skeptic
- Moore's response to the Skeptic
- Why am I, a Skeptic, not convinced?
- The main issue
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to evaluate the plausibility of G.E. Moore's response to skepticism about the existence of an external world. The paper will examine the nature of skepticism, specifically focusing on external world skepticism, and then analyze Moore's argument for the existence of an external world. The paper will ultimately determine whether Moore's argument is successful in persuading a skeptic.
- The nature of skepticism, including different levels of skepticism
- The challenge of external world skepticism and its arguments
- Moore's response to the skeptic's argument
- The effectiveness of Moore's argument in convincing a skeptic
- The implications of skepticism and Moore's response for our understanding of knowledge and the external world
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: The paper introduces the central question of whether the external world exists, highlighting the skeptic's position that this question is unanswerable due to the possibility of dreaming or being a brain in a vat. Moore's attempt to prove the existence of the external world by showing his hands is introduced as the focus of the paper.
- Skepticism: This section outlines different forms of skepticism, from the everyday skepticism we encounter daily to the more extreme philosophical and absolute skepticism. The author explains how skepticism can be applied to various domains, challenging our assumptions about knowledge and reality.
- External World Skeptic: The author takes on the role of an external world skeptic, arguing that the senses cannot provide conclusive proof for the existence of an external world. The skeptic raises the possibility of deception by the senses and the "brain in a vat" scenario, highlighting the limitations of sensory experience as evidence.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper explores the central themes of skepticism, external world skepticism, the nature of knowledge, and the existence of an external world. It examines G.E. Moore's philosophical response to skepticism and analyzes the effectiveness of his argument in persuading a skeptic. The paper delves into the limitations of sensory experience as a basis for knowledge and considers the implications of these arguments for our understanding of reality.
- Quote paper
- Sabrina Fiel Abade (Author), 2021, What is Moore’s response to the Skeptic?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1362365
