Questioning One's Existance

[mangycur]

"I think, therefore I am."

Not exactly a new statement. While many people feel this to be true, there are arguments against it. Do you think that it could in part be to the comforting idea of guaranteed existence? I will admit that it does make a good degree of sense, but this sense is based off of what I think to be real, so it's really just a shot in the dark for me.

"Is it possible that I don't even exist? If I don't, is there even a point to my questioning it?" This kind of thought comes up within my mind from time to time. I wonder how many people think about such a thing. I don't mean scholars with famous words or scientists who brave new ideas. I mean people in one's everyday lives, the kids at a high school lunch table, the cashier at a McDonald's. Basically, I wonder if we all question our existence. I often ask questions along the lines of what others experience, because of course I tend to have a hard time reading minds.

Do you think that questioning your own existence is positive or negative? Personally I feel it can work both ways. If you decide you can know that and still strive to enjoy life to it's fullest, even when you know it might not even be real, it makes you a stronger person. However, if you decide there's no point to life, and any actions and reactions mean nothing, I do feel this is definitely harmful. After all, as far as I know there hasn't been any irrefutable proof towards our existence or nonexistence. So why let it bother you any farther than a simple what if?

What do you think? Does what I'm saying make any sense, or am I a loon? I hope I do get some people's opinion on this, as I do find it to be an engaging subject.

[kookoomay]

`we are made from the universe, hard, hot whirling, cold, moderate, just right, explosive, always changing. it's better for health to be positive wether you are human or spirit. do all people think the same? no they don't. living in ones own prison needs to be looked at by one as a prysym, not a prison.

[awesomov]

`If you don't exist, how are you here? Can an idea, whether tangible or not, be considered reality in and of itself?

[levitatingfrog (deleted)]

`It's hard to say whether a precise definition of the word 'exists' exists without a definition of the word 'exists'. In the sense in which the word is most commonly used I exist, but once we start talking about abstract stuff like octonians it readily becomes apparent that existence is a badly defined concept and we can only talk sensibly about phenomenal experiences.