I found nice definition of existance

masta247

Well-Known Member
Staff member
#1
I found nice definition of existence

While playing with Skype settings I found something really interesting.
I couldn't decide which "chat window" look to choose, Skype one or IRC one, I got stuck, bored of thinking and I read the sample text there.
It intriqued me.. most of you will probably say that they just had to write random bullcrap just to write something so people like me will see a sample how does the IRC window look like but me.. YES I found something special in it.
I haven't ever seen so nice definition of existence.
People think about "what's existence" for ages..
while I found something that annihilates all philosopher's points of being themselves

tadam..

Here is the answer:
 

Casey

Well-Known Member
Staff member
#9
That is from George Orwell's book "1984". I take it you have never read it. If not, I suggest you do, it is a great read.

Here is the full excerpt that that is taken from.

'What have you done with Julia?’ said Winston.

O’Brien smiled again. ‘She betrayed you, Winston. Immediately—unreservedly. I have seldom seen anyone come over to us so promptly. You would hardly recognize her if you saw her. All her rebelliousness, her deceit, her folly, her dirty-mindedness—everything has been burned out of her. It was a perfect conversion, a textbook case.

You tortured her?

O’Brien left this unanswered. ‘Next question,’ he said.

Does Big Brother exist?

Of course he exists. The Party exists. Big Brother is the embodiment of the Party.

Does he exist in the same way as I exist?'

You do not exist,’ said O’Brien.

Once again the sense of helplessness assailed him. He knew, or he could imagine, the arguments which proved his own nonexistence; but they were nonsense, they were only a play on words. Did not the statement, ‘You do not exist’, contain a logical absurdity? But what use was it to say so? His mind shrivelled as he thought of the unanswerable, mad arguments with which O’Brien would demolish him.

I think I exist,’ he said wearily. ‘I am conscious of my own identity. I was born and I shall die. I have arms and legs. I occupy a particular point in space. No other solid object can occupy the same point simultaneously. In that sense, does Big Brother exist?

It is of no importance. He exists.

Will Big Brother ever die?

Of course not. How could he die? Next question.

Does the Brotherhood exist?

That, Winston, you will never know. If we choose to set you free when we have finished with you, and if you live to be ninety years old, still you will never learn whether the answer to that question is Yes or No. As long as you live it will be an unsolved riddle in your mind.

Winston lay silent. His breast rose and fell a little faster. He still had not asked the question that had come into his mind the first. He had got to ask it, and yet it was as though his tongue would not utter it. There was a trace of amusement in O’Brien’s face. Even his spectacles seemed to wear an ironical gleam. He knows, thought Winston suddenly, he knows what I am going to ask! At the thought the words burst out of him:

What is in Room 101?

The expression on O’Brien’s face did not change. He answered drily:

You know what is in Room 101, Winston. Everyone knows what is in Room 101.’

He raised a finger to the man in the white coat. Evidently the session was at an end. A needle jerked into Winston’s arm. He sank almost instantly into deep sleep.
 

masta247

Well-Known Member
Staff member
#10
Thanks Casey, I have never read it but this definition looks really nice. I thought that it was just some random writing and that dude who wrote it was a genius or something.
 

Preach

Well-Known Member
#11
i don't get it. this amazed you as a more than well-put definition of existence. i can think of a multitude of explanations and philosophical ideas that explain existence more directly. if i'm getting this right, the analogy here is that two similar objects can not occupy the exact location in time and space as another, identical or nonidentical object? this hardly defines existence, it just points out that one existence can not be physically overlapped by another (depending on the matter said existence consists of, clay can melt together for example). it's a powerful quote and i totally get the meaning, but it doesn't define existence, it just defines impossible correlation between two existing entities.

:p

a better definition would be "i am comprised of matter, thus i am. if i were not, none of my qualities would be measurable using principles of physics, and if a truly am, that in itself acts as proof that i indeed exist. i thereby have an existence.
 

Preach

Well-Known Member
#13
yeah you did. shame on you
carmi, if i ever come to quebeq i'm gonna start off by arranging a meet with you. the second i see you, hopefully from a distance, i'm gonna start shouting your name. when i finally do get up close i'm gonna start telling you how cute your are and how much i wish we could be together, and that i think you're the most beautiful girl in the world and that i am willing to leave everything that ever mattered anything to me at all behind, just for you.

soon as your cheeks blush i'm gonna tell you how disgusted i am by your rude behavior.
 

Casey

Well-Known Member
Staff member
#14
1984 is one of those books that everyone ought to read. Deep, profound and guaranteed to make you think, and more importantly, question.

People often tell me I am strong-minded with my views and opinions. That is because I don't accept anything the way it is. That's not my mentality. I create and define my own world. I don't operate within any constraints other than my own, whether it be legally or morally. If everyone did the same, the world would be a better place - free of conformity and free of those who accept things as they are. 1984 encourages that, which is why it is such an incredible piece of writing.

The irony is that the future depicted by Orwell is not so far away from society now. A fact not lost on Orwell, I'm sure. What is the thought police, if not political correctness/conformism? What is The Brotherhood, if not religion? And as for Big Brother...........in the sense of an omnipresence watching and keeping everything in line through fear, its God. On a smaller scale, it's law.

That is why it is so disturbing when fuckwits like George W Bush try and blur the lines between politics and religion - playing into the suckered conformist minds of the crowd who believe a president is somehow divine and chosen.

One Nation Under God? Right. Or One Nation Under Big Brother?

This and The Catcher In The Rye are books I would highly recommend.
 

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