The Voices in My Head

We imagine the world is a WYSIWYG world. As one philosopher once put it, “This is a hand,” proving once and for all that he did, indeed, have a hand. This demonstration of truth was followed up with a proof that he had two hands. Your homework is to name this philosopher.

He was of course trying to argue against a different set of philosophers, a group who questioned their very own senses. The most notable example of such a philosophy is “I think, therefore I am”. No homework this time - it’s Descartes.

But what if, one day, you woke up, and the sky was green? Just that one day mind you. And you remember it being blue the previous day. And the next day, you look out the window and it is back to it’s usual azure hue. Was it really green that day? Or was it a vivid imagination, or temporary insanity? What if one day you heard geese calling from outside your local supermarket? What if you saw everyone having black skin, regardless of their real ethnicity? Or white? Or green, even?

What if you grew up and lived your entire life seeing a different misperception every day, and you thought it was normal?

And what if, one day, you casually mention aspects of this to a friend, thinking it the most natural thing in the world, and they question your sanity for it?