Dear Tame, I understand that you are focused on what is our concept of existence.
You say: "We would still have to depend on our own reason to understand the world around us."
Very good.
We both use the word understand.
What is it to understand something?
What about that to understand something is to be able and to actually explain that something exists [that word exist again] at least in our mind, but most in particular that it exists independent of our mind, still we know it to exist by using our mind to think on it and thus come to the conclusion that it exists.
For example, let us take the nose in our face, a child might ask us who are thinkers, "Sir, I can't understand the nose in our face."
So, we ask the child, "Do you mean whether you can be sure that there is a nose in your face and why it is there - if it is in fact there?"
I hope, Tame, you do see that when we ask what is the meaning of the verb
to understand something, we are concerned with the certainty of its existence and why it exists.
To understand something means to be able and to actually explain to ourselves and to others asking us, that
that something exists in reality and the why it exists.
Please don't get tired, because we are now into thinking, and people ordinarily prefer to not think but to just keep to feeling instead of thinking.
To explain something is to use simple plain ideas to describe that something.
So, how do we understand existence or explain existence so that we understand it: because we can and do explain to ourselves and others i.e. by using simple and plain words/concepts and demonstration?
Here is how to understand i.e. explain existence:
1, In regard to for our present example, the nose in our face, to show that it exists, let us each one of us pinch our each one's respective nose and the noses of everyone else; that explains the existence of the nose in our face - if you need more convincing demonstration, then slit a small nick in one of your nostrils, and it bleeds, then you are now more sure that it exists.
2. Now, what about the question Why it exists? Simple, so that we can and do breathe easily and comfortably.
So, do we now understand what is existence?
I must apologize for the in a way long-winded explanation of what is existence.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tame_deuces
I agree with the (often touted) sentiment that if there is a "something outside", it might not fit our concept of "exist".
This, however, doesn't really justify big leaps of faith. We would still have to depend on our own reason to understand the world around us.