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Position:Home>Philosophy> Am I actually a butterfly?Question: Am I actually a butterfly!? Once upon a time, I, Taylor, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly!.
I was conscious only of following my fancies as a butterfly, and was unconscious of my individuality as a woman!. Suddenly, I awoke, and there I lay, myself again!. Now I do not know whether I was then a woman dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a woman!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: This is very cutely written, by the way!. I digress!. This is an interesting concept that my grade nine tech class explored, actually!. We did it in the form of watching the Matrix!. It's pretty popular, but I didn't know the actual plot line of the movie until that day, so I'll summarize it just in case you didn't know either: The main character wakes up to find that the world which he lives in--a very normal world with all of its flaws and joys, much like the one we know, is all an illusion created by machines to keep humans asleep!. I don't want to spoil the reason for the nor should I tell you what happens, in case you want to watch the movie (assuming you haven't)!. Basically, the movie questions our idea of reality!. It is not so much the question of whether our dreams, which change constantly and are molded by our most recent emotions and thoughts, are actually reality, but rather if reality as we know it is real!. Just because we THINK that this is our life and all this is real!.!.!.doesn't mean it is, right!? I believe that is the broader version of your question!. To answer the broader question!.!.!.I can only say that it is possible!. What if we were all indeed in a machine-induced coma, snoozing away in a dream that has become our concept of reality!? There isn't a way of knowing that until someone has woken up--and even then, that person may not come back to tell us all!. Moreover, everything we feel and know are based on what our social environment taught us: our parents teach us the basis of good versus bad, our friends teach us the basis of popular and unpopular, our media teach us what is beautiful and ugly!. In turn, these "teachers" also learned from previous teachers!. !.!.!.What if the first teachers were taught that this was real, even if it wasn't, and passed on the knowledge!? It's all very controversial, and this is no real right answer to this question; just speculation and theories!. To address your specific question, I can say "unlikely"!. Dreams, I'm sure you've noticed, change constantly!. One day you may be a butterfly, another day you may be a ninja!. What happens in these dreams have a strong correlation to our most recent thoughts and emotions, it seems!. However, there is still that slight possibility: what if it was reality--normal that we change forms and events every night!? What if this scheduled, limited life was all just a dream!? What if one dream was real and our life as we know it and all of the other dreams were just fantasies!? The chance, due to the aforementioned reasons, is unlikely, so you don't have to panic!.!.!.lol!. You know , I think I've only confused you more, but I hope you find my answer entertaining nonetheless!. And now I shall go off to bed: I'm up past my bedtime ^^Www@QuestionHome@Com Well, according to the skeptics train of thought, you can never know for sure!. Although it seems more likely that you are a person, you cannot know for sure whether or not you are actually a butterfly!. In the same vein, you cannot know that there is such a thing as existence at all!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Tay, Perhaps it was more than a dream -- perhaps a part of you lived through a butterfly!. Who is to say otherwise -- who is to say that there is not a level of consciousness in us that lives through nature when ones human form dies!. I've dreamt of being a plant and a bird!. Www@QuestionHome@Com Is it not possible that you, Taylor, have the body of a woman, but the heart of a butterfly, spreading cheer and sweetness wherever those beautiful fluttering wings of yours take you!?Www@QuestionHome@Com i'm thinking the butterfly!. i wish i were a butterfly!. you're lucky to be a butterfly!. what color are your wings!? i'm not being sarcastic btw:pWww@QuestionHome@Com Hey, either is great as long as you are not a caterpillar! Never crawl!.Soar with the eagles (or butterflies if preferable)!. Never forget that you are a woman!.Www@QuestionHome@Com It appears to me that you are actually a butterfly!. Www@QuestionHome@Com "unconscious of my individuality as a woman!." = you had a dream Www@QuestionHome@Com your a woman who had a dream about beibg a butterflyWww@QuestionHome@Com um is this like a poem or something or are you serious!?!?!? Cuz that's like weird if you are but I guess it could be a nice poem :Www@QuestionHome@Com umm well since you dreamed you were a butterfly, im guessing your just a girl who dreamed that she was a butterfly!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Hah you sound creative:D Maybe you were a butterfly in a former life!. If you belive in that!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com You're human, sweetie!. And if you think otherwise, I suggest you visit the closest therapist!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Zhuangzi, I thought you were dead! Edit: I'm shocked by how few people understood your question!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Sounds like a good start to a poem,lol!.Www@QuestionHome@Com That is pretty ridiculous!. One dream versus a lifetime of perceptions!.!.!. Seems like a simple answer to me!.Www@QuestionHome@Com your a girl having a weird dreamWww@QuestionHome@Com No, you are not a butterfly!.Www@QuestionHome@Com no, butterflies cant type silly!.Www@QuestionHome@Com thats a cool way to look at it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com wow you must be really, REALLY bored!.!.!.!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com nooo!.!. your Tay !!Www@QuestionHome@Com omg!.Www@QuestionHome@Com ur weird lmaoWww@QuestionHome@Com ive thought that before!. that reality is in our dreams and what we think our dreams are reality!. i guess we'll never find out!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Nice point of view!. I couldn't tell you though :] We may never know!. Later!. <3 HeatherWww@QuestionHome@Com !.!.!.um you can be whatever you want to be!. Www@QuestionHome@Com hell noWww@QuestionHome@Com |