Trapped in a Fake World

To understand what it truly means to be a brain in a vat one must

understand the meaning of these words. The proper definition of "Vat" is a

large vessel, tube, cistern, or barrel used to hold or store liquids.

So essentially what it means to be a brain in a vat is to be a brain in

a vessel with sustaining liquid and neural connections. Neural

connections mean electronic or organic connections from your brain to a main

frame. The main frame would most likely be a computer, but the

connections would input and output signals from your brain to the main frame.

Since the connections would be flawless and the brain would continue to

operate one would not know the difference whether or not one is a brain

in a vat.

The setup would be so perfect that we would have neural connections

making our brain think or believe that we have organs, arms, legs, feet,

and hands. It would basically create a feel and image in our brain for

these body parts and allow one to feel and use them. The input would

be connections to sensory organs making one believe and feel as though

one has organs. The output would be connections to our "imaginary"

muscles. That way one would feel as though one had a body with organs and

muscles. The setup would be so perfect that if one were to be put in a

vat at this current moment that the brain will not be able to tell a

difference. Every connection would be connected to a computer creating

the feeling that one would have every organ and muscle that a natural

human being would have.

To be a brain in a vat would essentially to