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But why not go further with some radical solpsism:

1. Why assume it is a house at all and not a facade?

2. Why assume that your eyes are not defective as to color?

3. Why assume your memory of the word "color" and "white" are correct?

4. Why assume that you heard the question properly?

5. How do you know the meanings of words haven't changed since you learned them many years ago?



You know it's a work of fiction, and that Fair Witnesses don't exist, right? :)

In real life, this is neatly addressed by Ayn Rand:

"Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong."


Hume actually goes farther than this list, and Heinlein is riffing on David Hume, and an old sheep joke. As for 5 I'm old enough to know that's actually a problem.


Why assume Anne is a Fair Witness?




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