What is existence?

How do you define existence? Do you cease to exist (if we really do exist) once you're dead or is it independent of physical things?

I find it very interesting how we remember things.. it means everything

I've always thought that too wraith. We are not the same person we were last year being that we have eaten all new foods and done all new things so our perceptions and our bodies are different..

but our brain can remind us of the past which keeps us the same person..

I discovered this one day when I was thinking about moving to another country cause sometimes america frustrates me.. anyway as I was thinking about it I began to think about how I would no longer be (or look like) the same person, do the same things, or even speak the same.......... My original self would be dead. So then I asked myself what even makes me myself anymore?

..memory..

^^precisely....don't you find it weird that you could go on a 1 week vaction from your friends and when you return they all say..."yo you look different!!".....you're never the same you're constantly being made new at ever moment in the now... so lose your memory of the "self" and you're a new creature constantly.....then you will finally live in the now........

too bad it's so hard to do it right now...cuz when you start living in the now you want other people to join you so you put yourself under the strain of thought, memory, and time all for the sake of the salvation of another!....pure, unscathed sacrifice.......love never tasted so sweet!!!

Synonyms: existence, actuality, being
These nouns denote the fact or state of existing: laws in existence for centuries; an idea progressing from possibility to actuality; a point of view gradually coming into being.
Specific presence; occurrence...etc., the list mos def goes on, and this is something we could talk bout for ages.
For me its like, having an idea or a thought and bringing it to life. Imma grow an apple tree...hehe, u can think bout it and find out whats the best way to do it, then if u actually do, once it grows, once its actually there, its yet another existence. Its really very simple !

If you want a ready definition of existence, think in terms of the opposite.

What is nothingness?

Great existentialists have pondered these questions for many years now. Lets take Satre for example. In his essay "Origin of Negation" he tried to posit the beginning of human existence from a new post-enlightenment perspective (God is Dead we could say). What he thought was that existence pervaded whereever nothingness was not percieved. The idea of existence might now be so easily definable though.

We could take the idea on step further into nothingness, and try to decide if existence is really a negation of nothingness, or merely a facet of nothingness which perception moulds to exist at a certain time and place.

Either way, im not into the whole contential philosophy BS. So I'll stop now. =)

'existence' is life.
Life is commenced when one is conceived and ends when one dies.

what if we dont exist? what if all this is the elaborate fantasy of a spirit (or spirits) floating in nothingness? if there is only one spirit, the past is a construcyt, and there will be no future. if there are more than one, then this could be a psychically shared fantasy that is their way of communicating? i think it unlikely, but we'll never know.

i know i should get out more.

although it seems strange.... just think about this then see if you have the same perspective

1. there is no such thing as time

2. there is no such thing as space

3. there is no such thing as "me"

4. there is no such thing as life

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although it seems strange.... just think about this then see if you have the same perspective
1. there is no such thing as time
2. there is no such thing as space
3. there is no such thing as "me"
4. there is no such thing as life

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what if we dont exist?

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Thinking about both of the above requires one to examine not just existence but also reality and whether it is true or not. It is quite possible that we do not exist externally. I believe that our inner reality is existence, yet it may be possible that in an external reality we do not exist (i'll explain further below).
We have the conciousness to be able to know or think of our existence. Some people see existence as physical reality. Some would see it beyond the 'real world' and into a form of spiritual realm. Is reality an existence? Is the way we perceive things via our 'inner' realm a reality? (reality exists in the mind concept). Is our reality and or existence socially constructed?

My idea of the 'real' world is a postmodernist realm, that there is no one truth. I don't like to seek 'truth', but only reasons. What you define truth as, isn't universal.

I don't think time exists, I think it is a social construct. However space, me, and life exists because it is part of my 'inner' reality...i'll explain this right below

This is how I perceive reality and existence (please note- this is not an answer, it is just a reason):
The only way we can reason reality or existence is through our own mind. The world "out there", external reality, is a shared universe of common experience. It is the lowest common denominator of all our experience. We take it for granted and it supplies us with a common field of action. That is all it is. Your realm of personal "mind" is another sort of universe. You experience it every second 24/7. From your inner mind comes all meaning about everything in the "outer" universe. You may be influenced by the external world of common experience, but this inner universe exists, is very real, and is ultimately of more value than anything "out there". Why? Because what happens "out there" depends totally on what you do or what occurs with your own mind. Your personal universe is the only thing able of deciding value. What you perceive from the 'outer' universe is received and detected in your 'inner' reality.

When one's inner reality is destroyed through belief systems, one can only after time become a shadow of raw matter and energy - which in itself is meaningless and dead

In the end, what you end up believing "in" or "about" is basically an action of your own mind to attach meaning and significance to something.

(Is god an existence? For me it is not. For those who believe that existence is defined as belonging to a god read this: http://www.captaincynic.com/thread.php3/thrdid=45724-u-frmid=17
also read if you haven't already:
http://www.captaincynic.com/thread.php3/thrdid=12743-u-frmid=17
http://www.captaincynic.com/thread.php3/thrdid=43742-u-frmid=12
http://www.captaincynic.com/thread.php3/thrdid=14614-u-frmid=12

summit, when you see 2 realms of the mind, the inner and outer, i see an infinate... the 3 major are: the inner, the outer, and the relative.

the relative is the mind in which you reach the state where you essentially leave your body. i can do this on command whenever i want. this gives me the ability to predict what people are thinking correctly 99% of the time. it also allows me to find out who i actually am, what i like, who i like, and things like that.

the other realms of the mind are those where are almost unreachable but are obtained rarely... they allow you to leave reality and do things normaly unaccomplishable... such as lift a car when your child is in trouble... which yes, actually did happen. also jump higher run faster... all when you need too. when you can tap these realms of the mind, nothing is impossible.

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the relative is the mind in which you reach the state where you essentially leave your body

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sounds like a form of meditation? Meditation can be seen as another 'realm' of reality or existence. I find it highly enlightening to briefly achieve glimpses of my inner truth through certain forms of meditation. Angel of Death may know what I am alluding to here.
However this 'relative mind' is being generated by the internal mind. And therefore this 'relative' mind is a derivative or a branch of the internal realm.
It is interesting you mention that you can reach a state where you can predict others. I'm not too sure what your refering to there. This isn't what occurs in your dreams is it?

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the other realms of the mind are those where are almost unreachable but are obtained rarely... they allow you to leave reality and do things normaly unaccomplishable... such as lift a car when your child is in trouble... which yes, actually did happen. also jump higher run faster... all when you need too. when you can tap these realms of the mind, nothing is impossible.

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you mention undertaking certain 'extreme' actions during an apprehensive situation. This is a result of the release of the stress hormone- adrenalin which allows you to respond to unanticipated or stressful events.

Just to point out that even tho it is somwhat an intresting question to ask, "do we exist?". What ever answer would ever make any sort of diference? I mean.. If the answer is yes.. ok sure... what if the answer is no?... then what?

Id rather asume that we do exist and ask the question "how do we exist?".

*takes another look*

Wish I guess is what this thread asks basicly ..

I did like the phrase "Existance is hereditary" (Now if i could only spell).

To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?

Shakespeare

Wheter something exist can also be somwhat a tricky question if you think of the fact that nothing can be created or destroyd... just transformed from one instance to the next.

So what was once "food" when we eat it.. does it stop existing? if all that happens is that its parts are broken up and placed alswhere.. does somethign that that is broken up and spread to the winds not exist enymore? all the part stills exist.. its just somewhere else..

Existance can also be a thing of perseption... If lets say there is a wall that you alway pass every day... if that wall was to be destroyd one night.. and the rebuilt with difrent material to look the same as before... when you pass that wall.. it will (to you) be the same wall that is has always been.. in essens.. to you.. that wall still exist that was destroyd....

Existence?....I think, therefore I am