how do i know my existence is real?

By:

Matt Gallagher

I made a mistake last night. My intentions were noble as I downed two energy drinks as the clock struck 9 pm. My goal: to achieve alertness during my evening class. This did not work. To my dismay, the effects kicked in some time around midnight, keeping me wide eyed until the morning; or so i thought.

One might pose the possibility that I am currently asleep. My perception of reality is no longer valid. The world I inhabit nothing more than a vivid recreation of the subconscious. Maybe my reality is merely a dream my subconscious has created to mask the fact that I have not maintained consciousness. What indication in my current state proves my existence? My senses cannot be trusted. My memories as mentioned in previous posts cannot me trusted. I can ask the person beside me but their answer may be simply a projection of my subconscious. If all aspects of reality cannot be trusted then what may I use to wake up? I am helpless. Left to wait for my reality to break apart as a dream would, waiting for the believable to become the unbelievable. As in a dream, the projected reality is perceived as real and untainted only until the dreamscape is broken. Once the dreamer awakes, he is able to see the dream for what it is. So then whats to say the dream's flaws are only realized after the fact? Possibly the unbelievable is completely believable within the context of the dream, leaving it as close to reality as possible.

With this theory, then, my process of waiting for the unbelievable does not apply. I will only realize my reality a dream, after I awake from it.

thank you for listening,

Matt