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From Chains of Reason

The world of one's perceptions is merely a mental simulation of the external world.

Preliminary reading

'Scenario A'

In a laboratory, the nerves connecting one's sense organs to the sensory areas of one's brain are disconnected from those organs and then connected to a computer instead. The computer is running a simulated world and it calculates the patterns of electrical impulses one's sense organs would send to one's brain if the simulated world was the external world and those organs were still connected. It then sends those patterns of electrical impulses to one's brain along the sensory nerves. The simulated world includes one's body. The nerves connecting one's muscles to the movement areas of one's brain are disconnected from those muscles and connected to the computer instead, so that one can move one's simulated body in the simulated world and 'interact' with that world.

Link 1

Premise 1

The nature of one's perceptions is dependent on the nature of the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, and how those impulses are then processed by the brain.

Premise 2

How a particular pattern of electrical impulses entering a particular sensory area of the brain is processed is not dependent on where those impulses originated.

Conclusion

The nature of one's perceptions is dependent on the nature, but not the source, of the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves. »

Link 2

Premise 1

 » The nature of one's perceptions is dependent on the nature, but not the source, of the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves.

Premise 2

Any pattern of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain from one's sense organs, via the sensory nerves, could also be produced by a computer connected to the sensory nerves instead.

Conclusion

The nature of one's perceptions is not dependent on whether the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, originate in one's sense organs or a computer. »

Link 3

Premise 1

 » The nature of one's perceptions is not dependent on whether the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, originate in one's sense organs or a computer.

Premise 2

When the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, originate in one's sense organs, one seems to be physically located within the world of one's perceptions.

Conclusion

In scenario A, in which the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, originate in a computer, one will seem to be physically located within the world of one's perceptions. »

Link 4

Premise 1

 » In scenario A, in which the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, originate in a computer, one will seem to be physically located within the world of one's perceptions.

Premise 2

In scenario A, one will not, despite appearances, be physically located within the world of one's perceptions, but will actually be physically located in the laboratory.

Conclusion

In scenario A, in which the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, originate in a computer, one will seem to be physically located within the world of one's perceptions, and yet will not really be. »

Link 5

Premise 1

 » In scenario A, in which the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, originate in a computer, one will seem to be physically located within the world of one's perceptions, and yet will not really be.

Premise 2

If, despite appearances, one is not physically located within the world of one's perceptions, then that world must exist inside one's mind, like the worlds of one's dreams, memories and imagination.

Conclusion

In scenario A, in which the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, originate in a computer, one will seem to be physically located within the world of one's perceptions, and yet that world will actually exist inside one's mind. »

Link 6

Premise 1

 » In scenario A, in which the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, originate in a computer, one will seem to be physically located within the world of one's perceptions, and yet that world will actually exist inside one's mind.

Premise 2

The nature of one's perceptions is not dependent on whether the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, originate in one's sense organs or a computer.

Conclusion

In normal circumstances, in which the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, originate in one's sense organs, one will seem to be physically located within the world of one's perceptions, and yet that world will actually exist inside one's mind. »

Link 7

Premise 1

 » In normal circumstances, in which the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, originate in one's sense organs, one will seem to be physically located within the world of one's perceptions, and yet that world will actually exist inside one's mind.

Premise 2

If, in normal circumstances, in which the patterns of electrical impulses reaching the sensory areas of the brain, via the sensory nerves, originate in one's sense organs, the world of one's perceptions exists inside one's mind, then the world of one's perceptions is merely a mental simulation of the external world.

Conclusion

The world of one's perceptions is merely a mental simulation of the external world.

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