Brain in vat- Website
“Brain in a Vat” is a thought experiment put forth by philosopher Hilary Putnam (b. 1926), an American philosopher. The experiment state that one must imagine they are a brain in a vat that is hooked to a computer that provides the brain with the electrical impulses that would be provided if the brain was to be provided with stimuli from the body’s senses. In this way, the Body “experiences” things. The experiment explores the idea of simulation theory, which is the idea that it is more than possible that nothing we see is actually real, but is on great computer simulation.
Brain in a Vat, to be referred to as BIV from here forward, is an extension and modernization of Cartesian skepticism, specifically, the evil demon argument from the First Mediation. BIV is designed to call forward the idea that one must question the reality and the possibility of reality. The point is that the brain works as a series of electrical impulses that tell it “Oh, I see a pond”, or “I see a duck”. However, it is impossible for the brain to know that these impulses are coming from the optic nerve or a computer that is feed in the impulses directly into the brain. So, the question becomes whether or not the sensations are coming from reality or a simulated version thereof.
This particular argument, therefore, concludes that the universe may very well be an illusion. The idea is that a BIV would not be able to differentiate between a simulation and true reality, and would assume the simulated impulses where true reality.
