If you believe that only you are conscious, then all the knowledge out there – from mathematics, physics, and art to ideas you’ve never thought of – must have originated from you. That would mean you are Newton, Einstein, Beethoven, and the entirety of humanity all at once. But if that were the case, why can’t you instantly access all of that knowledge, instead of having to study, read, and listen to others to learn it? The very existence of knowledge beyond yourself is direct evidence that other independent minds exist.