Is Anything Real?
Summary
TLDRThis script delves into the nature of knowledge and perception, exploring how our senses, though numerous and complex, are fallible. It challenges our understanding of reality through the lens of epistemology, the philosophy of knowledge, and introduces the concept of a priori knowledge. The script also touches on the biological basis of memory, long-term potentiation, and the vast storage capacity of the human brain. Finally, it ponders the philosophical questions of solipsism and realism, and whether we can ever truly know the objective reality beyond our perceptions.
Takeaways
- 🧠 Our senses, including more than the traditional five, are essential for understanding our surroundings but are not infallible, as demonstrated by optical and other sensory illusions.
- 👮♂️ Proprioception, or kinesthetic sense, is a key sense that allows us to know where our body parts are without visual or tactile input, similar to what's tested in a police sobriety test.
- 👅 The brain can be tricked by sensory input, as shown by the 'upside-down tongue' illusion, revealing the limitations of our sensory perceptions.
- 📚 Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that studies knowledge and how we can be justified in believing what we know to be true.
- 🔍 A priori knowledge refers to truths that can be known independently of experience, such as the definition of 'bachelor' being inherently unmarried.
- 🧬 Memories are not stored in single locations in the brain but are distributed across various neural networks, formed through complex relationships between neurons.
- 💡 Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a cellular mechanism believed to underlie memory formation, where repeated stimulation between neurons strengthens their connection over time.
- 🌐 The human brain's storage capacity is estimated to be equivalent to about 2.5 petabytes, which is an immense capacity for storing information.
- 🌌 The concept of realism posits that the external world exists independently of our perception, contrasting with solipsism, which suggests that only one's own mind is sure to exist.
- 🤔 The egocentric predicament highlights the challenge of proving the existence of an external world beyond our own mind, as all information is ultimately filtered through our senses.
- 🐱 Cats and humans share the trait of enjoying the exploration of mysteries, even if we can't fully understand or answer all questions, as exemplified by the keyboard example.
Q & A
How do our senses contribute to our understanding of where our fingers are?
-Our senses, such as sight and touch, allow us to perceive the location of our fingers directly. Additionally, our kinesthetic sense or proprioception helps us understand the position of our body parts in relation to each other without needing to look or touch.
What is the kinesthetic sense or proprioception, and how does it relate to field sobriety tests?
-Kinesthetic sense or proprioception is the body's ability to sense the position and movement of its parts. It is evaluated during field sobriety tests as it can indicate the level of control and awareness a person has over their body movements.
Why are our senses not always perfect, and what examples illustrate this?
-Our senses are not perfect due to various illusions, such as optical, audio, temperature, and tactile illusions. An example given in the script is the illusion experienced when touching the outer edge of an upside-down tongue, which can feel the touch on the wrong side.
What is Epistemology, and how does it relate to the concept of knowledge?
-Epistemology is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge. It explores how we know things, what counts as knowledge, and the justifications for our beliefs.
What is an example of knowledge that we can have a priori, and why?
-An example of a priori knowledge is the statement 'all bachelors are unmarried.' This is known to be true by reason alone, without needing empirical evidence, because it is a definitional truth based on the meaning of the words 'bachelor' and 'unmarried.'
What is the biological basis of memory in the brain, and how are memories formed?
-Memories are not stored in single locations in the brain but are made up of complex relationships between many neurons. A major cellular mechanism underlying memory formation is long-term potentiation (LTP), where repeated stimulation between neurons enhances the signal over time, strengthening their connection.
What is the estimated storage capacity of the human brain, and how is it measured?
-Paul Reber at Northwestern University estimated the human brain's storage capacity to be the digital equivalent of about 2.5 petabytes, which is roughly the amount of data that could be recorded by a TV channel continuously for 300 years.
What is the egocentric predicament, and why is it significant in discussions about the nature of reality?
-The egocentric predicament refers to the philosophical problem that all knowledge about the external world is created inside one's brain, making it impossible to prove that anything else exists outside of one's own mind. This highlights the subjective nature of our perception and understanding of reality.
What is solipsism, and how does it contrast with realism?
-Solipsism is the philosophical belief that only one's own mind is sure to exist, and everything else, including the external world, might be a figment of one's imagination. In contrast, realism is the belief that the external world exists independently of one's perception or experience.
How does the concept of the 'phaneron' relate to our understanding of reality?
-The 'phaneron' is a term used by Charles Sanders Peirce to describe the world as filtered through our senses and bodies, which is the only information we can get. It contrasts with 'reality' as the way the universe truly is, independent of our perception.
What is the significance of exploring unanswered questions, and how does it relate to the human experience?
-Exploring unanswered questions is significant because it represents our curiosity and quest for knowledge. It is a part of the human experience to seek understanding and engage with the mysteries of the universe, even if we cannot fully comprehend or answer every question.
Outlines
🧠 Understanding Human Senses and Epistemology
The first paragraph explores the nature of human knowledge and the senses that contribute to it. It starts with a playful question about the awareness of one's fingers, leading to a discussion on the limitations and illusions of our senses, such as the kinesthetic sense and tactile illusions. The script delves into the philosophy of knowledge, known as Epistemology, referencing Plato's criteria for knowledge and the concept of 'a priori' knowledge. It also touches on the biological aspect of knowledge, discussing how memories are formed through the process of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the brain, emphasizing the complex network of neurons involved in memory storage.
🌌 The Human Brain's Memory Capacity and Reality
The second paragraph discusses the vast storage capacity of the human brain, estimated to be equivalent to 2.5 petabytes of digital information, which is likened to 300 years of continuous TV recording. It raises questions about the nature of reality and our ability to perceive it accurately, introducing the concept of the egocentric predicament and solipsism. The script contrasts these with realism, the belief in an objective reality independent of our perception. It also mentions the philosophical implications of these concepts, including the 'Matrix defense' used in a legal case, and touches on the views of Charles Sanders Peirce and Martin Gardner on the subject.
🐱 Cats, Curiosity, and the Pursuit of Knowledge
The final paragraph shifts the focus to the behavior of cats with keyboards as a metaphor for human curiosity and the pursuit of understanding the universe's mysteries. It suggests that while we may never fully comprehend all aspects of the universe, the exploration and questioning are inherently enjoyable and fulfilling. The script ends with an invitation to viewers to explore more unanswered questions through a series of videos on YouTube, highlighting the shared human endeavor of seeking knowledge.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Epistemology
💡Senses
💡Proprioception
💡Illusions
💡A Priori Knowledge
💡Neurons
💡Long-term Potentiation (LTP)
💡Memory Storage Capacity
💡Egocentric Predicament
💡Phaneron
💡Solipsism
💡Realism
Highlights
The question of how we know where our fingers are introduces the concept of human senses and their limitations.
Beyond the traditional five senses, humans possess additional senses like kinesthetic sense and proprioception.
Optical, audio, temperature, and tactile illusions demonstrate the fallibility of human senses.
The 'upside-down tongue' illusion illustrates the brain's lack of adaptation to atypical sensory input.
Epistemology, the study of knowledge, explores what we can know and how we justify our beliefs.
A priori knowledge, such as the definition of 'bachelor,' can be known without empirical evidence.
Memories are not stored in single brain locations but are distributed across various neural networks.
Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a cellular mechanism that strengthens neural connections, forming memories.
Memories are physical manifestations in the brain, created by neurons firing together repeatedly.
The human brain's storage capacity is estimated to be equivalent to 2.5 petabytes of digital information.
The concept of reality and our perception of it is challenged by the egocentric predicament.
The phaneron represents the world as filtered through our senses, contrasting with objective reality.
Solipsism is the philosophical idea that only one's own mind is sure to exist, questioning the reality of the external world.
The 'Matrix defense' was used in a legal case, highlighting the impact of philosophical beliefs on real-world situations.
Realism is the belief in an external world independent of one's perception, yet it cannot be proven.
Martin Gardner's perspective on realism emphasizes convenience and practicality over absolute proof.
The video concludes by encouraging viewers to explore unanswered questions for the joy of discovery, not necessarily for definitive answers.
Transcripts
Hey, Vsauce. Michael here. Where are your fingers?
Seriously. It's a pretty easy question. You should be able to answer it.
But how do you know? How does
anyone know anything? You might say, well, I know where my fingers are. I'm looking
right at them.
Or, I can touch them, I can feel them, they're right here and that's good.
Your senses are a great way to learn things.
In fact, we have way more than the usual five senses we talk about.
For instance, your kinesthetic sense, proprioception.
This is what the police evaluate during a field sobriety test.
It allows you to tell where your fingers and arms and head and legs in your body
is all in relation to each other
without having to look or touch other things.
We have way more than five senses, we have at least twice as many
and then some. But they're not perfect. There are optical illusions,
audio illusions,
temperature sensation illusions, even tactile
illusions. Can you turn your tongue upside down?
If so, perfect. Try this. Run your finger
along the outer edge of the tip of your upside down
tongue. Your tongue will be able to feel your finger, but in the wrong place.
Our brains never needed to develop an understanding
of upside down tongue touch. So, when you touch the right side of your tongue
when it's flipped over to your left side you perceive a sensation
on the opposite side, where your tongue usually is but isn't
when it's upside down. It's pretty freaky and cool
and a little humbling, because it shows the limits of the
accuracy of our senses, the only tools we have to get what's out there
in here. The philosophy of knowledge,
the study of knowing, is called Epistomology.
Plato famously said that the things we know
are things that are true, that we believe
and that we have justification for believing. those justifications might be
irrational
or they might be rational, they might be based on proof,
but don't get too confident because proven is not a synonym
for true. Luckily, there are things that we can know
without needing proof, without needing to even leave the house, things that we can
know as true
by reason alone. These are things that we know
a priori. An example would be the statement
"all bachelors are unmarried." I don't have to go survey
every bachelor on earth to know that that is true.
All bachelors are unmarried because that's how we define
the word bachelor. Of course, you have to know what the words
bachelor and unmarried mean in the first place.
Oh, you do? Okay. Perfect. That's great. But
how do you know? This time I mean
functionally, how do you know? Where is knowledge biologically
in the brain? What are memories made out of?
We are a long way from being able to answer that question completely
but research has shown that memories don't exist in the brain in single
locations. Instead, what we call
a memory is likely made up of many
different complex relationships all over the brain between lots of brain cells,
neurones. A major cellular mechanism thought to underlie the formation of
memories
is long-term potentiation or
LTP. When one neurone stimulates another neurone
repeatedly that signal can be enhanced overtime
LTP, wiring them more strongly together
and that connection can last a long time, even
an entire lifetime. A collection of different brain cells,
neurones that fire together in a particular order
over and over again frequently and repeatedly
can achieve long-term potentiation, becoming
more sensitive to each other and more ready to fire in the exact same way
later on in the future. They're a physical thing
in your brain, firing together more easily
because you strengthen that pattern of firing.
You memorized. This branching forest of firing friends
looks messy, but look closer. It could be the memory
of your first kiss. A living souvenir
of the event. If I were to go into your brain and cut out
those cells, could I make you forget your first kiss
or could I make you forget where your fingers are?
Only if I cut out a lot of your brain.
Because memories aren't just stored in one relationship, they're stored
all over the brain. The events leading up to your first kiss are stored in one
network,
the way it felt to the way it smelled in different networks, all added up together
making what you call the memory of your first kiss.
How many memories can you fit
inside your head? What is the storage capacity
of the human brain? The best we can do is a rough
estimate, but given the number of neurons in the brain involved with
memory
and the number of different connections a single neurone can make
Paul Reber at Northwestern University estimated
that we can store the digital equivalent of about 2.5
petabytes of information. That's the equivalent of recording a TV channel
continuously for 300 years.
That's a lot of information. That is a lot of information about
skills you can do and facts and people you've met,
things in the real world.
The world is real, right?
How do you know? It's a difficult question,
but it's not rocket science. Instead, it is
asking whether or not rocket scientists even exist in the first place.
The theory that the Sun moved around the earth
worked great. It predicted that the Sun would rise every morning
and it did. It wasn't until later that we realized what we thought was true
might not be. So, do we
or will we ever know true reality
or are we stuck in a world where the best we can do is be
approximately true? Discovering more and more useful theories every day but never
actually reaching
true objective actual reality.
Can science or reason ever prove convincingly
that your friends and YouTube videos and your fingers
actually exist beyond your mind? That you don't just live
in the matrix?
No. Your mind is all that you have,
even if you use instruments, like a telescope
or particle accelerators. The final stop
for all of that information is ultimately
you. You are alone in your own brain,
which technically makes it impossible to prove that
anything else exists. It's called
the egocentric predicament. Everything you know
about the world out there depends on
and is created inside your brain.
This mattered so much to Charles Sanders Peirce that he drew a line
between reality, the way the universe truly is,
and what he called the phaneron, the world as filtered through our senses
and bodies, the only information we can get.
If you want to speak with certainty you live in,
that is you react to and remember and experience your
phaneron, not reality.
The belief that only you exist
and everything else, food, the universe, your friends are all
figments of your mind is called solipsism.
There is no way to convince
a solipsist that the outside world
is real. And there is no way to convince someone who
doubts that the universe wasn't created just three seconds ago
along with all of our memories. It's a frightening realization
that we don't always know how to deal with. There's even
The Matrix defense. In 2002
Tonda Lynn Ansley shot and killed her landlady.
She argued that she believed she was in the matrix, that her crimes
weren't real. By using the matrix defense
she was found not guilty
by reason of insanity, because the opposite view is just way more healthy
and common.
It's called realism. Realism is the belief that the
outside world exists independently of your own
phaneron. Rocks and stars and Thora Birch
would continue to exist even if you weren't around
to experience them. But you cannot
know realism is true. All you can do
is believe. Martin Gardner, a great source for math magic tricks,
explained that he is not a solipsist because realism is just way more
convenient
and healthy and it works.
As to whether it bothered him that he could never know realism was true,
he wrote "if you ask me to tell you anything about the nature of what lies
beyond the phaneron,
my answer is how should I know? I'm not dismayed by ultimate mysteries,
I can no more grasp what is behind such questions
as my cat can understand what is behind the clatter i make
while I type this paragraph." Humble stuff.
What strikes me
is the cat. Cats do not understand keyboards,
but they know the keyboards are a fun place to be.
It's a great way to get the attention of a human, they're warm
and exciting, surrounded by noises and flashing lights plus
cats love to get their scent on whatever they can,
a mark of their existence.
We aren't that much different, except instead of keyboards
we have the mysteries of the universe.
We will never be able to understand all of them. We won't be able to ever answer
every single question,
but walking around in those questions, exploring them,
is fun. It feels good.
And as always,
thanks for watching.
Do you want more unanswered questions? Well, you're in luck.
Today, nine other amazing channels on YouTube have made videos
about questions we still haven't fully answered.
Alltime10s has organized them and to watch them all
click the annotation at the end of this video or the link
at the top of the description. Enjoy.
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