What is solipsism?

Solipsism is a philosophical concept that asserts that only one's own mind is certain to exist. In its strongest form, it posits that knowledge outside of one's own mind is uncertain and that the external world and other minds cannot be known and might not exist outside of the individual's perception. In simpler terms, solipsism is the idea that "I alone exist" in a meaningful way, and everything else—including other people and the external world—might just be constructs of one's own consciousness. There are different variations of solipsism. Metaphysical solipsism suggests that only one's own mind exists, while methodological solipsism uses the notion as a starting point for skeptical inquiry, examining how we can know anything beyond our own thoughts. Solipsism raises questions about the nature of reality, perception, and knowledge, challenging the way we understand and interact with the world and others around us.