Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Philosophy The theory that the self is the only thing that can be known and verified.
- noun The view that the self is the only reality.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The belief or proposition that the person entertaining it alone exists, and that other people exist only as ideas in his mind.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Ethics) Egotism.
- noun (Metaph.) Egoism.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun philosophy The theory that the
self is all thatexists or that can beproven to exist. - noun Self-absorption, an unawareness of the views or needs of others.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun (philosophy) the philosophical theory that the self is all that you know to exist
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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It's like insisting that solipsism is a valid philosophy.
Bukiet on Brooklyn Books Hal Duncan 2009
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No, solipsism is only a valid philosophy if you hold to some implicit individualism, some sort of philosophical anarchism.
Bukiet on Brooklyn Books Hal Duncan 2009
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But that kind of childish solipsism is part of what makes America so gosh-darn unique!
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I liked Cowl insofar I like 2 way time travel SF (my least favorite subgenre because it falls so easily in solipsism - boom, the hero moved through time and a new universe appeared/dissapeared), but N. Asher has so many better books, Cowl is the weakest by far.
Pick JP's Bookshelf! 2006
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A beautiful counterpoint to his fantastic solipsism is the appalling verbosity of his manservant, Mash Qasem.
The Persian Version 2006
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A beautiful counterpoint to his fantastic solipsism is the appalling verbosity of his manservant, Mash Qasem.
The Persian Version 2006
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The definition of solipsism that you cite brings the red herring of a notion of “the self”; more in harmony with the traditional use of that word in the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy ’s definition.
No Uncertain Terms William Safire 2003
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The definition of solipsism that you cite brings the red herring of a notion of “the self”; more in harmony with the traditional use of that word in the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy ’s definition.
No Uncertain Terms William Safire 2003
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The definition of solipsism that you cite brings the red herring of a notion of “the self”; more in harmony with the traditional use of that word in the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy ’s definition.
No Uncertain Terms William Safire 2003
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The definition of solipsism that you cite brings the red herring of a notion of “the self”; more in harmony with the traditional use of that word in the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy ’s definition.
No Uncertain Terms William Safire 2003
blame commented on the word solipsism
It's alright that you own it, as you are simply an aspect of me.
December 2, 2006
oroboros commented on the word solipsism
"I" made up this word.
January 23, 2007
uselessness commented on the word solipsism
How creative is this far-removed figment of my imagination! I wish I had such command of my conscious mind!
January 25, 2007
oroboros commented on the word solipsism
Did you mean far-removed fig newton of your imagination?
August 9, 2007
uselessness commented on the word solipsism
A cookie is just a cookie, but a Newton is the illusion of fruit and cake that my brain tells me is real!
Nice joke, by the way. I have special appreciation for it, seeing as how it was really me who made it up, and I am always funny.
August 9, 2007
reesetee commented on the word solipsism
I can't think about this right now. And anyway, it doesn't exist. Only I do.
August 9, 2007
uselessness commented on the word solipsism
You can't think about it right now because I have a one-track mind, and my attention is elsewhere. Sorry.
August 9, 2007
reesetee commented on the word solipsism
I'm not even going to ask.
August 9, 2007
uselessness commented on the word solipsism
Of course you're not, because I don't want you to.
August 9, 2007
reesetee commented on the word solipsism
Neither do I. And that's what counts.
If we don't be careful, we'll disappear into myself, and then where will I be? Not that you care.
August 9, 2007
slumry commented on the word solipsism
Well, he should care--if you are a part of him, he would be diminished by your absence. Says Judge Slumry. So there.
August 9, 2007
uselessness commented on the word solipsism
When the voices in my head go away, I will finally have peace. ;-)
August 9, 2007
slumry commented on the word solipsism
Are you sure? It may be very lonely!
August 9, 2007
uselessness commented on the word solipsism
Okay, don't go away. Just stop disagreeing with the other 6.whatever billion voices. It's the discord that makes it frustrating!
August 9, 2007
reesetee commented on the word solipsism
Well, if you're going away, maybe the voices will stay put and leave you alone for a while.
Or me. I can't remember anymore.
August 9, 2007
uselessness commented on the word solipsism
Nah, the voices stay. Some just become louder while others quiet down. At least I can only hear a few at a time!
August 9, 2007
reesetee commented on the word solipsism
Really? Mine sing, in a chorus--sort of in a strophe/antistrophe way.
August 9, 2007
slumry commented on the word solipsism
Okay, I am getting separation anxiety now. I will miss you two voices in my head next week. (Dear S calls all of you my imaginary friends). U, give your regards to Granny Smith. R, do you to care to give us any hint of your vacation plans?
August 9, 2007
reesetee commented on the word solipsism
Oh...Canada! ;-> Specifically, the Atlantic provinces.
August 9, 2007
slumry commented on the word solipsism
*Green with envy*
August 9, 2007
uselessness commented on the word solipsism
All I can say is, I'm surprised and impressed that you remembered and linked next week's trip with the Granny Smith trip I mentioned a while back. I'm terrible at making connections like that. Or rather, the conscious part of me is... but apparently the subconscious part of me excels at it. ;-)
August 9, 2007
reesetee commented on the word solipsism
And here *I* thought you'd already seen Granny Smith and was wondering why you were off on another vacation so soon. :-)
Oh, and slumry? Dear S is right--we are your imaginary friends!
August 9, 2007
slumry commented on the word solipsism
It was a memorable conversation, U.
And R--I feel sure you will fill your suitcase with plenty of Canadianisms!
August 9, 2007
reesetee commented on the word solipsism
Eh, I might. ;-)
August 9, 2007
slumry commented on the word solipsism
Oh, Reesetee, you mean I really do have voices in my head, too? In that case, I also wonder why I can't get them all to agree with each other.
I think I will opt to simply enjoy the illusion.
August 10, 2007
jennarenn commented on the word solipsism
Aren't imaginary friends great? I always wanted one as a child.
R, you simply must say hi to Canada for me, and tell them that I'll bring the cookie recipie next time I'm up that way. ;)
August 10, 2007
reesetee commented on the word solipsism
Ah yes, I had imaginary friends when I was a child--and they weren't even human. :-)
Jennarenn, I have that cookie recipe, so I'll just bring it along myself. You're sure to get a thank you note from Canada when I return. And one from Granny Smith, no doubt. ;->
August 10, 2007
oroboros commented on the word solipsism
"(imaginary comment)" :oP
August 10, 2007
reesetee commented on the word solipsism
*turns quickly* What was that?
August 10, 2007
uselessness commented on the word solipsism
Haha, I love spooking myself.
August 10, 2007
jennarenn commented on the word solipsism
I do have a good sense of humor, don't I?
August 11, 2007
rolig commented on the word solipsism
"Solipsism is perhaps the greatest potential failing of the professional historian, and in this instance there are two essays . . . which exhibit all the coherence of a madman in a telephone box, scoring rhetorical points off a listener who long ago had the sense to replace the handset."
– Nicholas Vincent, "Do you know?" (Review of Huw Pryce and John Watts, eds., Power and Identity in the Middle Ages, OUP), TLS (Feb. 15, 2008).
April 6, 2008
nuxiy commented on the word solipsism
Question: Why is the solipsist unhappy?
Answer: Because no one will accept his arguments as valid.
March 17, 2009
bilby commented on the word solipsism
Q: Why is the surrealist unhappy?
A: Because purple grapefruit mackintosh.
March 17, 2009
sionnach commented on the word solipsism
donuts frump kumquats withal desiderata incommunicado
March 17, 2009
bilby commented on the word solipsism
March-flies and garrulous pompadours! Pay no heed to the evil sionnachery of the herebelow! For he is but a ruthless manipulaterz manipulationism manipulletsoup manipulitzerpizzle exploiter of confectionery incontinence among glug-factory beasties destined for the (recycling symbol) eurobin! Arise and be liberated! The next bizarre videoramamanana shall be yours!
March 17, 2009
catspringer commented on the word solipsism
Solipsism? Eh. It's all in your head.
October 10, 2009
ruzuzu commented on the word solipsism
You probably think this song is about you.
January 31, 2010
5814738 commented on the word solipsism
"I have taken to foraging alone after nightfall when the city quiets and becomes introspective. I walk as an intruder on its solipsistic dream. I came by darkness, I live by darkness. The savage brightness of the desert is like some legend I heard a long time ago. My exsistence grows nocturnal. My beliefs change. From Perdido Street Station by China Mieville.
September 22, 2011
cybca commented on the word solipsism
Solipsism = me, myself & I
December 30, 2019