Why is it necessary?Use_Imagination_here said:I'm not saying definitely, I'm not even saying probably, I'm just making a (in my view) necessary assumption. My assumption could be wrong but it's necessary.
Also you spelled presumptuous wrong.
Why is it necessary?Use_Imagination_here said:I'm not saying definitely, I'm not even saying probably, I'm just making a (in my view) necessary assumption. My assumption could be wrong but it's necessary.
Also you spelled presumptuous wrong.
No, we do know it to be true. What we don't know is whether or not it will keep being true at any time in the future. An act of faith would be to believe that the scientific method will always work. No faith is needed to believe it works now.The_Darkness said:Basically, Science assumes that what happened in the past can inform the future. This is how we can make predictions. Without it, the entire Scientific Method would fall apart. But we do not know it to be true. We take it on faith.
Well, technically, we don't even know that it works now. We only know that it worked a moment ago. (The present is a remarkably difficult thing to quantify.) But whenever we make a prediction, we assume that it is true.Vegosiux said:No, we do know it to be true. What we don't know is whether or not it will keep being true at any time in the future. An act of faith would be to believe that the scientific method will always work. No faith is needed to believe it works now.The_Darkness said:Basically, Science assumes that what happened in the past can inform the future. This is how we can make predictions. Without it, the entire Scientific Method would fall apart. But we do not know it to be true. We take it on faith.
We do kind of rely on it working indefinitely, yeah, but I will not make a claim it will as a statement of fact, even if some people, even scientists maybe would.
If a system is totally dependent on a series of axioms, to the point where if a single one was false the system would fail, and said system has so far never failed it doesnt take faith to assume the axioms are true. Thats the reasoning basically? No one is stating the axioms are always true and will never be proven false. Just that the system that uses them has been 100% accurate so far, like science the axioms themselves are open for critique, if you could disprove or show an exception to the axiom it would be changed. It doesnt take faith to do any of this.Vegosiux said:No, we do know it to be true. What we don't know is whether or not it will keep being true at any time in the future. An act of faith would be to believe that the scientific method will always work. No faith is needed to believe it works now.The_Darkness said:Basically, Science assumes that what happened in the past can inform the future. This is how we can make predictions. Without it, the entire Scientific Method would fall apart. But we do not know it to be true. We take it on faith.
We do kind of rely on it working indefinitely, yeah, but I will not make a claim it will as a statement of fact, even if some people, even scientists maybe would.
Okay, let's stop on the axiom talk a little. Example, the Peano axioms.BiscuitTrouser said:If a system is totally dependent on a series of axioms, to the point where if a single one was false the system would fail, and said system has so far never failed it doesnt take faith to assume the axioms are true. Thats the reasoning basically? No one is stating the axioms are always true and will never be proven false. Just that the system that uses them has been 100% accurate so far, like science the axioms themselves are open for critique, if you could disprove or show an exception to the axiom it would be changed. It doesnt take faith to do any of this.
Again, those assumptions are not made as factual claims about the universe, but as a basis of understanding. If you want to dispute that, find me a fundamental statement that's not merely a definition.The_Darkness said:Well, technically, we don't even know that it works now. We only know that it worked a moment ago. (The present is a remarkably difficult thing to quantify.) But whenever we make a prediction, we assume that it is true.
Let us try an alternative, but related, assumption. Science is based on Statistics. By extension, Science assumes that the universe is mathematical, that things can always be quantified. If we found something unquantifiable, Science would not be able to handle it. Science wouldn't be able to say anything about it. It would be equivalent to finding real magic. (I studied Astrophysics, not Philosophy of Science, so I may not be expressing this very well.)
Alright, let's try a few more. Science runs on the assumption that things happen for a reason. We assume that there are Laws of Physics, and then we try to find them. They may not be there. We assume causality.
Which argument? I mean, I will not dispute the existance of said argument, but it'd be nice to actually provide me with the argument itself (complete with all the stuff that should support it) if you want to see me have a go at it.Heck, we even assume time - I've seen a perfectly good philosophical argument (that is to say, there is one in my memory) that neither the past or the future exist. That the entire universe is frozen in one moment - there is everything you remember, but it never happened. There are your speculations about the future, but they will never happen. All there is is your mind, in this moment, right NOW. And if you know a way to prove that argument wrong, I'd love to hear it.
Well, if those assumptions are false, then every single thing that Science has ever said is false. Do you disagree?Vegosiux said:Again, those assumptions are not made as factual claims about the universe, but as a basis of understanding. If you want to dispute that, find me a fundamental statement that's not merely a definition.The_Darkness said:Science runs on the assumption that things happen for a reason. We assume that there are Laws of Physics, and then we try to find them. They may not be there. We assume causality.
The above was the argument. Please, prove to me that the universe isn't frozen in time, that my description above is demonstrably false. Because otherwise you are taking the existence of time on faith. (In other words, please prove time.)Which argument? I mean, I will not dispute the existance of said argument, but it'd be nice to actually provide me with the argument itself (complete with all the stuff that should support it) if you want to see me have a go at it.Heck, we even assume time - I've seen a perfectly good philosophical argument (that is to say, there is one in my memory) that neither the past or the future exist. That the entire universe is frozen in one moment - there is everything you remember, but it never happened. There are your speculations about the future, but they will never happen. All there is is your mind, in this moment, right NOW. And if you know a way to prove that argument wrong, I'd love to hear it.
The above was a statement. An argument would be making a case for that statement. Actually, I think you and I both know that.The_Darkness said:The above was the argument. Please, prove to me that the universe isn't frozen in time, that my description above is demonstrably false. Because otherwise you are taking the existence of time on faith.
Actually that's precisely what I was about to say in response to the first paragraph of your post (that got left out). Wel not precisely, but the gist of it - is "science" a thing that's inherent to the universe, part of its existence, or is it a tool with which we seek to understand the universe? I say the latter.At the end of the day, there is another question here. What is Science? What are Scientists trying to do? Are we trying to make Scientific models of the universe?
The only reason science doesn't just stop is that we keep asking that endless series. The moment we stop asking it...no more science.If so, we can never state anything to be true - we can only say whether or not it fits the model. Or are we trying to work out how the universe works? If so, in order to stop the endless, pointless series of the question 'Why?' (Remember doing that as a kid?), we have to take something on faith somewhere.
What I thought Vegosiux was getting at with his talk of axioms is that they're not strictly assumptions. His example is a good one; those axioms define the natural numbers, they can't be false - it would be like you telling me that I made the wrong assumption of the name of my book, when I named it.The_Darkness said:Well, if those assumptions are false, then every single thing that Science has ever said is false. Do you disagree?Vegosiux said:Again, those assumptions are not made as factual claims about the universe, but as a basis of understanding. If you want to dispute that, find me a fundamental statement that's not merely a definition.The_Darkness said:Science runs on the assumption that things happen for a reason. We assume that there are Laws of Physics, and then we try to find them. They may not be there. We assume causality.
We may have no reason to doubt them, but we do not know them to be true. By extension, if we don't know that things happen for a reason, we cannot draw conclusions based on observation on why things happen. We can't say why a rock falls to the ground because there may not be a reason. And, again by extension, whenever we say that anything is Scientific Fact, we are saying that these basic assumptions are also fact. Otherwise the Scientific Fact... isn't. Or at the very least, it isn't a scientific fact of this universe, which makes it next to useless.
I already said this. Because If you don't make this assumption you can't make definite statements about anything. If you want my argument it's in my previous posts.Saxnot said:Why is it necessary?Use_Imagination_here said:I'm not saying definitely, I'm not even saying probably, I'm just making a (in my view) necessary assumption. My assumption could be wrong but it's necessary.
Also you spelled presumptuous wrong.
You want to take this to the middle ages where they cracked peoples heads open to let out evil sprites, where they crucified people, with the crusades and where the church threatened Galileo with torture when he found evidence that the earth rotated around the sun? Yeah sure lets go there..........Saxnot said:Sometimes. In the middle ages, for example, technological innovation and experimentation was done partly by monks. William of Ockham, for example, was a franciscan monk well-known for his work in philosophy and physics. Afterwards, of course, the church tried to repress technological progress, but it shows that even the church had a time in which it promoted (scientific) knowledge.
This isn't a matter of opinion but of fact.Saxnot said:We disagree on the amount of people who take the bible literally.
Um yeah it kinda is.Saxnot said:But that isn't essential, because it's not the accuracy of what's in the bible that makes it significant.
Well than you picked the wrong book.Saxnot said:lies in its moral and spiritual value.
You must be reading a different version of the bible you know the ones with 90% of it cut out. Because I don't find killing people for working on Sundays, Sending bears to eat children, selling your daughter into slavery and stoning disobedient children very loving or forgiving.Saxnot said:To them, the most important part of the bible is the message of love and forgiving that they see in it.
Yes it does.Saxnot said:As for the country deciding the faith, that is true in many cases, but doesn't really affect the argument.
All of it, stop trying to mislead and derail keep on topic.Saxnot said:What, in general?
I don't.Saxnot said:I disagree.
No it isn't.Saxnot said:Exactly my point.
Exactly so it's not faith based. Finally you get it, I accept your apology on being wrong.Saxnot said:The significance of non-falsifiable things lies outside the purview of science. In fact, in the falsification theory, anything tha t cannot be falsified cannot be scientific.
Yes they can be tested and falsified. Through observation and actions, through questions and answers, through body language. We can very much test a persons empathy and feelings towards others, it's a branch of science called psychology you might have heard of it. It's how we diagnose psychopaths, mental disorders and other personality disorders.Saxnot said:Your feelings towards your family cannot be falsified and are not scientific. That doesn't mean they don't exist or are invalid.
Nope.Saxnot said:Again, depends on the circumstances.
And to say that god definitely does exist without any evidence isn't presumptuous? There is about as much evidence for god as there is for the giant spaghetti monster. But it's one thing to say it's possible although unlikely for the spaghetti monster to exist, but another to say he could exist believe in him, and try and get others to believe in him without any evidence. That's insanity.Saxnot said:To say that god definitely does not exist just because i don't know of any evidence for him seems rather strange and presumptious to me.
They threatened Aristotle? Because he found evidence for the earth rotating around the sun? In the middle ages? Don't try to debate on subjects you know nothing about.disgruntledgamer said:You want to take this to the middle ages where they cracked peoples heads open to let out evil sprites, where they crucified people, with the crusades and where the church threatened Aristotle with torture when he found evidence that the earth rotated around the sun? Yeah sure lets go there..........Saxnot said:Sometimes. In the middle ages, for example, technological innovation and experimentation was done partly by monks. William of Ockham, for example, was a franciscan monk well-known for his work in philosophy and physics. Afterwards, of course, the church tried to repress technological progress, but it shows that even the church had a time in which it promoted (scientific) knowledge.
disgruntledgamer said:This isn't a matter of opinion but of fact.Saxnot said:We disagree on the amount of people who take the bible literally.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/06/01/gallup-poll-46-of-americans-are-creationists/
I think you're a little confused. None of what you're saying has anything to do with what i said. You seem to think you're arguing with a christian on the value or validity of the bible. You're not. You're missing the point. try to read what i said again, because you don't seem to have understood it.disgruntledgamer said:Um yeah it kinda is.Saxnot said:But that isn't essential, because it's not the accuracy of what's in the bible that makes it significant.
Well than you picked the wrong book.Saxnot said:lies in its moral and spiritual value.
You must be reading a different version of the bible you know the ones with 90% of it cut out. Because I don't find killing people for working on Sundays, Sending bears to eat children, selling your daughter into slavery and stoning disobedient children very loving or forgiving.Saxnot said:To them, the most important part of the bible is the message of love and forgiving that they see in it.
The bible isn't accurate, as a moral guide it's horrible, even as a work of fiction it fails, it jumps around, it is inconstant, contradictoril and the characters are painfully one dimensional.
Yes it does.Saxnot said:As for the country deciding the faith, that is true in many cases, but doesn't really affect the argument.
disgruntledgamer said:All of it, stop trying to mislead and derail keep on topic.Saxnot said:What, in general?
Now this is just getting silly. You are now telling me what i'm trying to tell you? If you're just going to make up what the person you're talking to is saying, why even have a conversation? Do you even need me to respond to you? Should i just leave so you can debate whoever you seem to think you're debating?disgruntledgamer said:I don't.Saxnot said:I disagree.
No it isn't.Saxnot said:Exactly my point.
disgruntledgamer said:Exactly so it's not faith based. Finally you get it, I accept your apology on being wrong.Saxnot said:The significance of non-falsifiable things lies outside the purview of science. In fact, in the falsification theory, anything tha t cannot be falsified cannot be scientific.
So love is a scientifically defined term? In what circumstances can a persons assertions that he loves someone be falsified beyond a doubt, then?disgruntledgamer said:Yes they can be tested and falsified. Through observation and actions, through questions and answers, through body language. We can very much test a persons empathy and feelings towards others, it's a branch of science called psychology you might have heard of it. It's how we diagnose psychopaths, mental disorders and other personality disorders.Saxnot said:Your feelings towards your family cannot be falsified and are not scientific. That doesn't mean they don't exist or are invalid.
Why? Do you have any arguments? Have you seen and understood every situation in which faith plays a role?disgruntledgamer said:Nope.Saxnot said:Again, depends on the circumstances.
I agree. Again, i never said otherwise.disgruntledgamer said:And to say that god definitely does exist without any evidence isn't presumptuous? There is about as much evidence for god as there is for the giant spaghetti monster. But it's one thing to say it's possible although unlikely for the spaghetti monster to exist, but another to say he could exist believe in him, and try and get others to believe in him without any evidence. That's insanity.Saxnot said:To say that god definitely does not exist just because i don't know of any evidence for him seems rather strange and presumptious to me.
Well, we might gain a better understanding of each others position. But i get what you mean. If that's your philosophical position, i understand totally. I'm not saying your position is invalid or strange, i'm trying to debate you in order to find out why you think what you think and how that applies to my ideas about the world. That does not mean you're wrong.Use_Imagination_here said:I already said this. Because If you don't make this assumption you can't make definite statements about anything. If you want my argument it's in my previous posts.Saxnot said:Why is it necessary?Use_Imagination_here said:I'm not saying definitely, I'm not even saying probably, I'm just making a (in my view) necessary assumption. My assumption could be wrong but it's necessary.
Also you spelled presumptuous wrong.
It's only necessary in my OPINION. This isn't fact. In my opinion it is necessary to be able to make definite statements about reality. If your opinion is that we don't need to be able to make definite statements about reality then that's YOUR opinion, and arguing about it would be like arguing that a certain brand of music is better because you like it better. It's pointless. Neither of us are going to gain anything.
It's my philosophical position because I feel it makes it easier to define the nature of claims. And also I feel that the possibility of everything at once would unnecessarily complicate several of the more existential fields of philosophy.Saxnot said:Well, we might gain a better understanding of each others position. But i get what you mean. If that's your philosophical position, i understand totally. I'm not saying your position is invalid or strange, i'm trying to debate you in order to find out why you think what you think and how that applies to my ideas about the world. That does not mean you're wrong.Use_Imagination_here said:I already said this. Because If you don't make this assumption you can't make definite statements about anything. If you want my argument it's in my previous posts.Saxnot said:Why is it necessary?Use_Imagination_here said:I'm not saying definitely, I'm not even saying probably, I'm just making a (in my view) necessary assumption. My assumption could be wrong but it's necessary.
Also you spelled presumptuous wrong.
It's only necessary in my OPINION. This isn't fact. In my opinion it is necessary to be able to make definite statements about reality. If your opinion is that we don't need to be able to make definite statements about reality then that's YOUR opinion, and arguing about it would be like arguing that a certain brand of music is better because you like it better. It's pointless. Neither of us are going to gain anything.
Fine. It's a statement, not an argument. I used the wrong word. That doesn't change the fact that it is impossible to prove the statement wrong, and that by extension, time is an assumption (since I just described a perfectly valid model of the universe in which time doesn't exist). In any case, this gets absorbed into the axioms, which I discuss below.Vegosiux said:The above was a statement. An argument would be making a case for that statement. Actually, I think you and I both know that.The_Darkness said:The above was the argument. Please, prove to me that the universe isn't frozen in time, that my description above is demonstrably false. Because otherwise you are taking the existence of time on faith.
Okay. So you view Science as constructing an internally consistent model to match our observations of the Universe. Am I right? And the basis of this model are the axioms above. And because these axioms are within the model, not the Universe, they are themselves a tool, not assumptions, and certainly not factual statements.[Science is] a tool with which we seek to understand the universe.
If you think this you haven't examined the evidence for both cases. Scientific proof is necessarily devoid of discrepancy, if there is discrepancy in evidence the theory is discarded or revised.Mimsofthedawg said:(see BOTH evolution and Creation... both are full of indescrepencies, and neither person from either side of the debate is willing to give the other room to explain themselves. It's classic "faith wars").