What is Last Thursdayism?
Quora question.
Last Thursdayism, also known as Omphalism or next Thursdayism, is a philosophical concept that challenges our perception of reality and raises questions about the nature of knowledge and existence. It is indeed often regarded as a thought experiment or a mind game rather than a serious scientific or religious theory.
Last Thursdayism posits the idea that the universe, including all of our memories and historical records, was created last Thursday, with the appearance of age and continuity. According to this view, everything that we perceive and remember as having occurred prior to last Thursday, including the formation of galaxies, historical events, and personal experiences, is essentially an illusion or a fabricated construct.
The purpose of Last Thursdayism is to provoke critical thinking and challenge our assumptions about the reliability of our senses and the nature of reality. It is often employed in discussions related to epistemology, the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and limits of knowledge. By proposing that the universe could have been created at any given moment with the appearance of a preexisting past, Last Thursdayism prompts us to question the foundations of our knowledge and the reliability of our beliefs based on past experiences.
While Last Thursdayism may not be considered a scientific or religious theory in the traditional sense, it serves as a tool for exploring philosophical concepts such as solipsism (the idea that only one's mind is sure to exist), the problem of induction (the challenge of justifying the assumption that the future will resemble the past), and the nature of time.
Ultimately, Last Thursdayism invites us to engage in deep philosophical contemplation rather than providing a definitive explanation of reality. It encourages us to reflect on the limitations of our understanding and the intricate relationship between perception, knowledge, and the nature of existence.
