The brain in a vat is a philosophy thought experiment
about knowledge and reality, it is a notable ideas that claim by Hilary Putnam. This is a modernized version of Rene Descartess Evil demon, a concept in his Meditations on First philosophy. These hypothesis both denying that the external world existences, the whole world that our senses present to us is just an illusion of our own mind.
The brain in a vat argument says to imagine our brain
are possible connected and simulated by a computer program in a vat. What important is that no one can be sure the he or she is not being in such a situation, then we can not make sure that our beliefs about the outside world are true. And to construct the skeptical this argument:
1. If one knows any beliefs about the external
world, then one knows that one is not a brain in a vat. 2. But one does not know that one is not a brain in a vat. 3. So, one does not knows any beliefs about the external world.
The reason why this argument became one of a
formidable challenge to epistemological externalism is that here is a strongest premise to support is argument: no one can know that one is not a brain in a vat. Because in reality no one can be the men who go outside to seek the truth in Platos Cave.
One of the problems about brain in a vat argument,
is quite logical impossibility to belief that his/her hands do not exists in reality. So it means consider of our self- knowledge and the basic senses, it is plausibly we have a good enough reason to says hey, I am not a brain in a vat, just look at my hands! But this reason in fact does not provide any explanation about the external world problems,we still can not sure that I am not a brain in a vat.
The brain in a vat seem is an unsolved question to
us,whatever people says knowing that he is not a brain in a vat just can not persuade every one this skeptical argument is false, cause we dont have some kind of Gods eye to check our brain.