Existence

[Radio Storm]

Define "existence". What does it mean to "exist"? What qualities must something possess in order for you to say that it "exists"?

I'm still lost on how to define existence. But I feel that if you are aware of it through any of your senses, then it exists.

[Aron91]

Something that exists, is something that interacts with other things that exist. That's the best I can get.

[Cælius]

To exist (physically) means you are made up of atoms, molecules, and so on, and that you (as a mass of atoms/molecules) can interact with other masses.

However, what does it mean exactly? Romeo and Juliet never existed, and yet everyone knows of the star-crossed lovers. The opposite is true in a different sense; I could say a man by the name of Russell died last year, but no one knew he existed. So what does it mean to exist?

[Ewan]

You have to tell us what you want. Do you want us to give you a purely physical definition like Chris gave or do you want something else? What else is there?

There's existence in terms of ideas, but ideas--memes--only exist because we exist. Their existence depends on ours, which is a purely physical thing. Or is it? It's been argued that our minds are pretty much just gigantic memeplexes, and that the vehicle of our "conscious being" is memetic. I don't know.

I like to go with the physical definition because it's easier.

[iwpoe]

You're asking the being question: "What does it mean to be?" It is either a very hard question or an empty one. So far, you have gotten replies about certain sorts of beings. That is manifestly inadequate and ignores the question.

Because I think it's a hard question that I don't know how to answer, I'll give two preliminary remarks:

The thing we are asking about- "to be" or being -is not itself a being: it is neither a thing nor a class of things. If you are talking about things (like atoms or memes), then you have missed it.

Preliminarily, "to be" or being is that on the basis of which entities (beings, things) are already understood, or what determines entities as entities.

[max0005]

In my opinion, to exist means to interact, and therefore to cause change to and to be caused change by the universe which surrounds us. This is so far the best definition I've been able to come up with being it 12:13AM on my watch!

Interesting topic, I'll subscribe and see how it evolves.

Cheers!

[iwpoe]

In my opinion, to exist means to interact, and therefore to cause change to and to be caused change by the universe which surrounds us. This is so far the best definition I've been able to come up with being it 12:13AM on my watch!

What about being yourself: being-as-one's-self: something-being-itself? Clearly if it is a way of being it does not involve interaction or change.

[max0005]

What about being yourself: being-as-one's-self: something-being-itself? Clearly if it is a way of being it does not involve interaction or change.

I'm sorry Iwpoe but I'm not sure I understood what you meant...

Did you mean existing in the form of being conscious of ourselves and of the world around us? In this case I'd say it most definitely is being caused change by the universe surrounding it (we constantly change our opinions and points of view based on what happens around us) and, if it has the possibility of doing so, it will most probably alter something (however minimal may it be) in the world around it.

[athurley]

We all exist. We all live. We all have been remembered as being somebody by someone, therefore, we all exist

[Cælius]

We all exist. We all live. We all have been remembered as being somebody by someone, therefore, we all exist

Ah! But that's the kicker! When all of humanity is gone (completely and utterly), will we still exist? Our remnants (i.e., pyramids, structures, etc) may last for a while (i.e., years, decades, centuries, millenia), but everything will come to an end.

Get my point?

[bulldawg3639]

Existence cannot be determined or seen as simply "a state of being." Determining existence also goes along with determining the realms of life and reality; you'd agree that existence cannot be without life? Even in death there is some sort of "life" or "existence" depending on what your reality tells you, but the question pertains to existence in life. Existence in life would have to mean that within this dangerous life of choices that there is one that is there as an idea or even a physical being that can comprehend and determine whether the choice would benefit him/her. At the same time there can also be existence in nothing, as I see it, because every inch of everything has a choice to whether or not its empty or full and whether or not it grows or dies and therefore if you see it that way then existence would be within the idealogic realms of life with in an individual reality.




Would love to debate about more questions such as this!!