An old joke question about the study of philosophy, but I intentionally put it in the Science forum. I'm curious what might turn up for a scientific answer.
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It does, but it's used very little, compliments of pacificists.Does The Chair Exist?
[serious];64641892 said:What chair?
It does, but it's used very little, compliments of pacificists.
Don't mess with Texas!I'm from Texas. We're putting in an Express Lane.![]()
The one made of matter. Or energy. Or whatever it's made of. If it's there.
To the extent that my perception determines reality, yes.
Exactly. I do perceive to be in a sitting position in something that is keeping my rear end above the floor. It has projections that also support my back and arms, and little wheels, so I can roll back from what appears to be a desk. If it weren't there when I sat down, my butt would definitely perceive the floor.

One good thing about Texas' number of executions....Don't mess with Texas!![]()

The one made of matter. Or energy. Or whatever it's made of. If it's there.
The resulting bruises I get if I don't watch where I'm going would indicateAn old joke question about the study of philosophy, but I intentionally put it in the Science forum. I'm curious what might turn up for a scientific answer.
If it was there yesterday, and now it isn't, I'd be checking eBay.The resulting bruises I get if I don't watch where I'm going would indicate
that yes, a chair (or whatever other object over which I stumbled) is,
indeed, there.
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To the extent that my perception determines reality, yes.
Exactly. I do perceive to be in a sitting position in something that is keeping my rear end above the floor. It has projections that also support my back and arms, and little wheels, so I can roll back from what appears to be a desk. If it weren't there when I sat down, my butt would definitely perceive the floor.
[serious];64643040 said:Err.. the line, "what chair?" is the punchline of the joke you referenced.

The answer is a vaguely qualified "yes"? So vaguely qualified that is sounds like an "I don't know"? As a good scientist, I'm not satisfied with that. Can anyone elaborate?
I prefer to say "to the extent that the word 'exist' have any meaning, yes; the chair exists.
If you believe that being able to touch, smell, see, hear, and, more importantly, have other people be able to do the same and arrive at similar experiences is not sufficient to show that something 'exists,' then now it's a matter of semantics as you and I are talking about different things when we speak of things 'existing.'