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Has there every been anything which refutes Descartes' theory that all we can be sure of is that we are thinking things? Is there any proof that we can be sure that other people exist?
Accepted:
December 9, 2005

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Peter Lipton
December 11, 2005 (changed December 11, 2005) Permalink

It does seem possible that nobody else exists: I just have a very lively imagination. An interesting line of thought to the contrary is that my very ability to think contentful thoughts depends on the existence of other people. In that case, if I can have the contentful doubt whether other people exist, then they do. But can I prove that I have contentful thoughts?

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