ontology (idea)

A brief history of existence.

Here's a top down list of different explanation of "what it's all about".

• Solipsism is where I'm the only thing that exists. You don't exist, you're not reading this, and I'm wondering why I'm writing it.
  "Can you prove you exist?"
• Monism comes in three completely different flavours:
  • Materialism is where all we are is atoms, doing what atoms do.
    "Can you prove you're not causal?"
  • Idealism is where all we are is a soul, all this atom stuff is just an illusion.
    "How do I know that this chair exists?"
  • Neutral Monism, also known as the multiple aspect theory, this states that mind and body are two different ways of looking at the same thing.
    "This Martini is wet."
    "No sir it's dry."
• Dualism is where we're made up of two bits, the body and the soul. Lots of people have worried about how the body and soul actually get it together (see, the mind/body problem).
  "What's left when my body's gone?"
• Exotics we're made up of 42 tangentially different substances that interact through soul vibrations bounced off the moon.
  "Where can I score some more of this?"

Thanks to JerboaKolinowski for pointing out Neutral Monism.