An interesting thought... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Dude111 · 05-24-2026, 12:00 AM

Hey dues...

Do things have existence of their own or do we lend them existence by means of our consciousness?

Ya walk into a room searching for your cassette or whatever. You cant find it anywhere. Does the cassette exist?

Ya suddenly become conscious of it right on top of the desk. Does it exist only because you became conscious of it,recognised it right on top of the desk where you searched for it before?

Kinda sounds like Quantom Physics but it IS interesting!!

stevea · 05-25-2026, 12:55 PM

A slight variation of the "tree falling with no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" question.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_a_t...ake_a_sound%3F

stevea · 05-25-2026, 01:06 PM

To use an identical example, you put a load of laundry into the washer, and you note all socks are matched--there are two of each sock. (You check on this due to past problems.)

When you pull the laundry out later, you notice one sock is missing. Everything has gone thru the dryer, and it's missing. You think you've checked all possibilities (not dropped anywhere, not left in the washer by mistake, etc.)

It doesn't exist. But it must.

Weeks later, you find it in the sleeve of a clean shirt.

There are all kinds of examples of this kind of thing in our everyday lives.

Dude111 · 05-25-2026, 01:37 PM

Yes its interesting buddy!!

TheLittleFaerie · 05-25-2026, 04:35 PM

There is a theory that says if EVERYONE in the world suddenly didn't believe something existed that it would disappear

stevea · 05-25-2026, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

There is a theory that says if EVERYONE in the world suddenly didn't believe something existed that it would disappear

Being mild with this one, that would be a good way to get rid of a tree that falls in the back yard. Have everyone disbelieve that it exists, and voila it's gone!

ThisLittlePiggy · 05-25-2026, 05:51 PM

Do Things Truly Cease to Exist If No One Remembers Them?

https://medium.com/@mominawrites/do-...m-d4b923825b02

a fascinating subject

TheLittleFaerie · 05-25-2026, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

Being mild with this one, that would be a good way to get rid of a tree that falls in the back yard. Have everyone disbelieve that it exists, and voila it's gone!

It's a catch 22, since you can't really CHOOSE what you believe, it would be impossible to ever test. lol

As far as the tree falling in the woods.... I always wonder likewise, if no one's around IN the woods, do the woods even exist? I mean if there's no one to perceive a place, would it even be there? lol

I think there was a Twilight Zone episode about this, that said the world only exists as it's perceived

Dude111 · 05-25-2026, 08:24 PM

This is a very good thread!!

ThisLittlePiggy · 05-25-2026, 08:44 PM

To say that the world does not exist helps neither the cause of truth nor the seeker after truth. To admit that it does exist but to qualify the admission by adding "but not materially, only mentally" is to describe experience accurately. The dream exists in the dreaming mind as a series of thoughts, even though its world is not physical.

https://www.paulbrunton.org/notebooks/21/3

05-24-2026, 12:00 AM	#1
Dude111 Forum Legend Join Date: Nov 05, 2013 Posts: 35,363	Hey dues... Do things have existence of their own or do we lend them existence by means of our consciousness? Ya walk into a room searching for your cassette or whatever. You cant find it anywhere. Does the cassette exist? Ya suddenly become conscious of it right on top of the desk. Does it exist only because you became conscious of it,recognised it right on top of the desk where you searched for it before? Kinda sounds like Quantom Physics but it IS interesting!!

05-25-2026, 12:55 PM	#2
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,178	A slight variation of the "tree falling with no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" question. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_a_t...ake_a_sound%3F

05-25-2026, 01:06 PM	#3
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,178	To use an identical example, you put a load of laundry into the washer, and you note all socks are matched--there are two of each sock. (You check on this due to past problems.) When you pull the laundry out later, you notice one sock is missing. Everything has gone thru the dryer, and it's missing. You think you've checked all possibilities (not dropped anywhere, not left in the washer by mistake, etc.) It doesn't exist. But it must. Weeks later, you find it in the sleeve of a clean shirt. There are all kinds of examples of this kind of thing in our everyday lives.

05-25-2026, 01:37 PM	#4
Dude111 Forum Legend Join Date: Nov 05, 2013 Posts: 35,363	Yes its interesting buddy!!

05-25-2026, 04:35 PM	#5
TheLittleFaerie Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 15, 2017 Posts: 1,937	There is a theory that says if EVERYONE in the world suddenly didn't believe something existed that it would disappear

05-25-2026, 05:51 PM	#7
ThisLittlePiggy Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Nov 02, 2013 Posts: 83,179	Do Things Truly Cease to Exist If No One Remembers Them? https://medium.com/@mominawrites/do-...m-d4b923825b02 a fascinating subject

05-25-2026, 08:24 PM	#9
Dude111 Forum Legend Join Date: Nov 05, 2013 Posts: 35,363	This is a very good thread!!

05-25-2026, 08:44 PM	#10
ThisLittlePiggy Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Nov 02, 2013 Posts: 83,179	To say that the world does not exist helps neither the cause of truth nor the seeker after truth. To admit that it does exist but to qualify the admission by adding "but not materially, only mentally" is to describe experience accurately. The dream exists in the dreaming mind as a series of thoughts, even though its world is not physical. https://www.paulbrunton.org/notebooks/21/3