Abstract
In his Contributions to the Analysis of the Sensations (Mach 1885) the phenomenalist philosopher Ernst Mach confronts us with a difficulty: “If we regard the Ego as a real unity, we become involved in the following dilemma: either we must set over against the Ego a world of unknowable entities […] or we must regard the whole world, the Egos of other people included, as comprised in our own Ego.” (Mach 1885: 21)
In other words, if we start from a phenomenalist viewpoint, i.e., if we believe that the manifold of sensations we are confronted with is ontologically fundamental —as Mach clearly does: “For us, colors, sounds, spaces, times,… are the ultimate ele-ments” (Mach 1885: 23)—then we are in danger to end up in solipsism. Unless, that is, we assume that some underlying thing-in-itself substratum from which matter, we ourselves, and all the others emanate. The only other alter-native seems to be—and Mach advertises it vehemently for he denies any “mons-trous notion of a thing-in-itself” (Mach 1885: 6)1—that we get rid of the Ego. For, if there is no Self in the first place, then the question whether there are others dissolves. To put it the other way round, it is ok that the others do not exist because, really, I do not exist either. If the Ego is a Myth solipsism is not just wrong but nonsense.
There are two questions this paper wishes to address: first, do we need independent additional support for the denial of the Self or is the avoidance of solipsism reason enough to assume the Ego’s non-existence? I will argue that we do need additional reasons and I will evaluate those that Mach indeed gives to prove that “the primary fact is not the I, the Ego, but the elements (sensations)” (Mach 1885: 19). Second, is the deconstruction of the I, even if further sufficient support can be found, really adequate to stop us from worrying about solipsism? The doubt I will put forward is that the illusion of a Self might conjure up enough of an Ego—just like feeling a pain is having a pain, even if it is located in a phantom limb—to start us wondering whether it also occurs elsewhere.
Item Type: | Conference or Workshop Item (Paper) |
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Keywords: | Ernst Mach, Solipsism, Ego, Self, Skepticism |
Faculties: | Philosophy, Philosophy of Science and Religious Science > XXII. German Congress of Philosophy Philosophy, Philosophy of Science and Religious Science > XXII. German Congress of Philosophy > Philosophy of Mind Philosophy, Philosophy of Science and Religious Science > XXII. German Congress of Philosophy > Philosophy of the 19th and 20th century |
Subjects: | 100 Philosophy and Psychology > 110 Metaphysics 100 Philosophy and Psychology > 120 Epistemology 100 Philosophy and Psychology > 190 Modern western philosophy |
URN: | urn:nbn:de:bvb:19-epub-12593-2 |
Language: | English |
Item ID: | 12593 |
Date Deposited: | 03. Jan 2012, 11:22 |
Last Modified: | 04. Nov 2020, 12:53 |
References: | Ayer, Alfred Jules 1936 Language, Truth, and Logic London: Gollancz Carnap, Rudolf 1928 Der logische Aufbau der Welt 1928 Leipzig: Felix Meiner Verlag Damasio, Antonio 1994 Descartes Error New York: Gosset/Putnam Hacker, Peter 1972 Insight and Illusion: Themes in the Philosophy of Wittgenstein Oxford: Clarendon Press Heidegger, Martin 1927/200118 Sein und Zeit Tübingen: Max Niemeyer Verlag Hume, David 1739-1740/1975 A Treatise of Human Nature, edited by L. A. Selby-Bigge, 2nd ed. revised by P.H. Nidditch, Oxford: Clarendon Press James, William 1912 Essays in Radical Empiricism. New York: Longman Green & Co Mach, Ernst 1897 Contributions to the Analysis of the Sensations (Deutsch: Die Analyse der Empfindungen und das Verhältnis des Physischen zum Psychischen, (1886)) Chicago: The Open Court Publishing Company Mach, Ernst 1906 Erkenntnis und Irrtum Leipzig: Verlag von Johann Ambrosius Barth Parfit, Derek 1984 Reasons and Persons Oxford: Clarendon Press Strawson, Peter 1959 Individuals London: Methuen |