Have you seen the Matrix?

Hello,

Have you heard of Hilary Putnam? Well if you haven't I'm sure you have seen/heard of the Matrix. Or at least the concept of the idea of a our brains being in jars or some such. Well it's a actually a philosophical idea called Skepticism.   

The Brain in a vat is a common scenario in philosophy, it is used to help demonstrate the idea of Philosophical Skepticism. I mentioned Mr Putnam as he modernized the idea to how it's seen in todays popular culture (see the Matrix). The brain in the vat was a 17th century horror story devised by Mr Rene Descartes in his book Meditations on First Philosophy, 1641. Descartes aim was to reconstruct the structure of human knowledge by showing people the 'method of doubt'. Essentially don't believe every thing you read (sort of). 

The brain in the vat is essentially thus: an evil scientists has someway trapped the human race; removed our brains; then keeps our brains in vats connected up to sensors and neurons etc. This then simulates the world we once lived in. We keep on going about our lives non the wiser it is completely false (Mwhhh hu hu hu! - why an evil genius would do this I simply do not know).

The point of this Brain in a Vat scenario is to highlight how if we were in vats we could never know! All our thought would be synthesized meaning it is not possible to tell from the perspective of the brain if we were in a vat or a skull.  

The ONLY  thing  we know is that we can't 100% know that we aren't brains in a vats. So the best thing to do is accept that it COULD be possible (all-be-it very unlikely) that our brains are suspended in green bubbling fluid. You don't have to believe it - just accept it could be true. Then move on.

 'Is your brain in a vat?'

 'No, the Matrix was just a film'

 'You fool! The evil genius would make you say that!'

 '.....whatever'