Experience. There is no more convenient place to start than with one’s birth. It is pointless to try to go beyond that to some place perhaps vitalists want to go. We have no access to that place.

A child with little experience can only continue with the content of the mind. Without full control of their body the child must move forward with their mind’s content.

At this point never fully aware of what the content of their mind is believing like ancient Chinese philosophers that this content is only a dream, we deal it as best we could. Eventually we will realize that the world is not only the content of the mind but the content of the mind contained inside a body. Once we become aware of the body we proceed to engage with the world and other bodies.

The question remains though what is the relationship between the mind and the body. And this question will occupy the questioner for many years to come. We must decide whether it is singular or dual to begin with. Then decide which of the contents are real and unreal. We must decide how much of the content can be trusted. We must do so without falling into the trap that leads to insanity, to a place that is illogical.

Navigating through all this eventually we shall emerge from the other side unscathed. This is philosophy.