Helen Keller Again

I was wondering what Helen Keller's life was like. It is said that she became blind and deaf at 18 months old. How would someone born blind and deaf know what "reality" is? How could they believe in any sentience outside of themselves? Yet, she did.

It has been said by some that they won't believe a thing until they see it with their own eyes, what if they had no eyes? Prior to learning sign language, all she knew was physical sensation. How would a scientist prove to her that she was not alone in the world?

We see a world of patterns, images, sounds, smells, sensation. Denied these "senses" that we rely on as proofs of our existence in a material world, how do we know we are in a material world? If denied these senses, does the world become less real?

Once again we will return to Descartes, "I think therefor I am". But, did Helen Keller think without words or symbols, no. I experience, I have awareness therefore I am. Yet, how much of what we perceive is truly real? Certainly not visual, we perceive but a very small amount of what can be called sight. If I put you in a isolation chamber you will have even more vivid visuals.

What if we had additional senses, what if we could truly feel what others felt? I do not ask this in a spiritual or occult way, I ask it in a philosophical manner. How would we develop and grow, what would our reality be? Our realities would be intertwined. Not the same, intertwined, connected yet apart, unique to us; but, shared completely.

I hope the readers enjoy these flights of fancy. We need to take time and look beyond what we are told, beyond the obvious. We need to look for context.

UPDATE

I am sorry, I like this train of thought. Lets play with this a bit. What if you could others minds and they could read yours; but, only if and when you let them and visa versa. What then, how would a first date go. When is too soon to get inside and allow another inside? I bet it wouldn't be as quick as sex. I'll show you mine if you show me yours would have a whole new meaning, showing each other our truths.

Can you imagine how it would transform business? Negotiations would certainly evolve. How would it effect politics, would you only vote for the person who was the most truthful? Would you let people you hate in just so they could know how much you hated them, that would risk seeing things from their perspective.

What if you truly had to feel another's pain. Would you condemn as quickly or harshly? Would you become less or more forgiving? Now examine your motives and beliefs about others. Would you judge others by their heart rather than their actions? Would you become less superficial? Who would trust you if you never let anyone else know you?