AI reviewed · sources pending. Book associations have not been verified.
External-world hypothesis
ConceptA persisting world independent of perception can explain recurring sensory experiences.
Explanation or usage
An external-world hypothesis treats a world that exists independently of perception as a simple, coherent explanation for recurring sensory experiences and apparent object continuity. It is a rationally supported interpretation, not a deductive elimination of every dream or deception scenario. Reasonable belief is distinct from absolute certainty.
Common misunderstandings
Accepting an external-world hypothesis does not provide an absolute proof that skepticism is impossible.
In The Problems of Philosophy
General context reviewed · book attribution and sources pending
The proposal that objects persist while unobserved offers a coherent explanation for recurring perceptions; it remains an inference, not a deductive refutation of every skeptical possibility.