How do you know that you are not just a brain in a vat?

Question

A la the Matrix etc.

Freaks me out.

Becuase you only know what you sense, so in a way you never know what actually exists what you percieve.

Also, since you cannot see inside someone elses conciousness, the only thing you know about the outside world and people in general is your perceptions. It really does seem possible that these perceptions are a result of some kind of trickery or supercomputer or similar... because you can't know anything more than what you sense.

I know this isn't a really a question, but what are your views... opinions etc?

Thanks

Answer 1

"i think therefor i am"

however:

"if a tree falls and no-ones there to hear it, does it make a sound?"

to be honest, we wouldn't know.

Answer 2

BRILLIANT QUESTION!!

How do you know that you're not really awake when you're dreaming and really dreaming when you're awake?

Answer 3

Geez what about feel... you think standing on my feet all day at work is a figment of my imagination?

Answer 4

well let me tell you are and im seeing how you react to the internet being funneled in to your brain

Answer 5

haha , its the same as , when you read this text , are you , or your brain reading it .

Answer 6

A brain in a vat isn't so different from a brain in a body. As you said, you only know what your senses tell you about the world.  

It seems unnecessary to simulate a whole private world for the sake of a brain in a vat, you could simply hook up the brain in the vat to sense the real world.  Plus if you're capable of manipulating a brain to that extent, why not put it in a real body?