Literary notes about solipsism (AI summary)
In literature, solipsism is often explored as both a philosophical critique and a dramatic motif that questions the boundaries of subjective experience. Authors deploy the term to highlight a worldview in which the mind isolates itself from any external reality, suggesting that all perceptions might merely be self-generated [1][2]. Some writers use it to articulate broader critiques of philosophical doctrines—for instance, raising concerns about idealism or materialism that may inadvertently validate a form of self-absorption [3][4][5]. Additionally, the notion serves as a cautionary note against an inward-looking approach to life, implying that without acknowledgement of others, one risks retreating into an unreal, solitary mental realm [6][7].
- I realize now that I may have been falling into the trap of solipsism, “who watches the quad,” et cetera, type of thing.
— from On Handling the Data by M. I. Mayfield - SOLIPSISM I could believe that I am here alone, And all the world my dream; The passion of the scene is all my own, And things that seem but seem.
— from Poems by George Santayana - This is one of the notable sections in the Principles , as it suggests the rationale of Berkeley's rejection of Panegoism or Solipsism.
— from The Works of George Berkeley. Vol. 1 of 4: Philosophical Works, 1705-21 by George Berkeley - They confuse and identify such opposites as Kant and Berkeley, and their own position with that of “solipsism.”
— from Naturalism and Religion by Rudolf Otto - To escape solipsism I must admit at least other persons.
— from Systematic Theology (Volume 1 of 3) by Augustus Hopkins Strong - Descartes brings in the idea of God in order to escape solipsism.
— from History of Modern PhilosophyFrom Nicolas of Cusa to the Present Time by Richard Falckenberg - The mind is naturally its own world and its solipsism needs to be broken down by social influence.
— from The Life of Reason: The Phases of Human Progress by George Santayana
