Posted by Toph on January 2, 2005, at 19:31:01
In reply to Re: Now you are giving me ideas!! » Toph, posted by alexandra_k on January 2, 2005, at 17:50:19
> Hey Toph, you ever heard of Berkeley? He maintained that the whole universe is simply an idea in the mind of god. That is where we get 'to be is to be perceived' from. So there isn't any matter, anything physical - just ideas. This comes out in "Sophies World" which is (arguably) a very brilliant book :-)
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> To consider that you are the only person in the world that exists (and that everyone else is just an idea in your mind) is called Solipsism. It is a very lonely position, and one that is talked about a lot though nobody is sure if anyone has held it for long. I did my best. Think I managed maybe 6 months in hospital.
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Actually, alexandra, the notion of me being alone was terrifying. It happened a couple times when my manic episodes were peaking and I was about to be carted off. Now I know the name - Solipsism. Kind of a catchy name, hell of a lot better than totally freaked out of my mind. Seriously, psychotic mania for me is dominated by grandiose thoughts of fearlessness, omnipotence and ideas of reference (mainly radio and TV). To feel any fear in this state is like some primitive abandonment or something. You'll probably think I'm nuts or something but I have risidual grandiose thinking when stabilized, like when I try to touch all my elderly clients on the shoulder or hand as if some healing force is shared between us.
-Toph
poster:Toph
thread:434596
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20041218/msgs/436922.html