Things You Can't Prove, But Believe

[JochemHippie]

Personally I believe in Ki and Chakra's

Though quite honestly it's not for me to decide who's right or wrong for believing something.

Usually I'll let science decide that for me, but I don't think there's a way to monitor it, making it unprovable.

 

[Equlan]

The existence of an external world. I mean, how would you prove it?

 

[DoPo]

OT: No, not really. I believe in things that can be proven, directly or indirectly. That which cannot be proven should not be accepted or rejected as truth. Blind faith is the root of ignorance and stupidity.

Try saying that to anyone with a PhD in physics. Almost all current research in physics involves hypotheses that can't be proven, at least not yet.

Being unable to prove something at the moment isn't grounds to automatically discard it. After all, there is a high chance something led you to this hypothesis, so unless people are just making stuff up, there may be some minimal proof in it.

 

[Eamar]

One more: I believe that every fictional universe created by Man is an actual one we are merely unable to get to. We are a pocket-dimension that exists alongside others such as that Marvel and, DC universes to name two (of the millions) but they can't directly interact with ours in any way more significant than how they already do (ie: inspiring the artists, storytellers, etc of tomorrow.)

Against my better judgement, a tiny part of me sort of believes this too. I'm fully aware that it's a case of wishful thinking and a way for me to handle the disappointment of not being able to interact with all the awesome stuff in fiction, but I can't make the niggling little "but what if it IS all true" thought go away...

Similarly, a little part of me believes that someday I'll wake up with superpowers and/or magical abilities...

Also, despite *really* believing that there's nothing after death (which I also can't prove, obviously), a little bit of me likes to think that everyone "wakes up" in whatever world they want/expect to wake up in after death. Again, a way of not letting go of childhood fantasies I think, but if there's even the remotest sliver of a chance that I might get to live out eternity in Asgard or Middle Earth, I'm going to hold onto that thought!

 

[Gabanuka]

That at one point Dragons existed. Nothing could span that many culture without having some for of origin

 

[Arakasi]

Everything I take to be real.

You see, while science can provide evidence towards something, it can never definitely prove it.
And yeah, I prefer to not use the word 'believe' it implies blind faith, whereas I am skeptical.

I'm invisible when no one looks at me (cameras included).

Technically you are, as you cannot be seen whist you aren't being observed.

 

[keinechance]

Some form of God.
Now, before you all have a rant at me, I said 'some form of'. Not "The Christian God" or any other one, but some kind of creator.
I just find it immensely hard to believe that we, humans, who have advanced beyond our primal instincts so much that we barely resemble our fellow animals, happened by accident.
The world is too awesome for me to just think it was all random.

Humans - Chimpanzees -> 96% identical genes.

Humans - Mice -> 80% identical genes.

As for "unique" behavior:

http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Human_and_ape_behavior

http://www.jqjacobs.net/anthro/paleo/primates.html

 

[Powereaver]

I Believe in the paranormal 100% but i cant prove it .. i can just make observations and stuff but its something id like to think existed especially ghosts even if they would scare the shite outta me

 

[loa]

Related to gaming:

-You can't actually slip into a "dream world" playing games, immersing yourself into the world presented to you completely.
I've oftenly been accused of that but that's just not how it works.
This is hard and frustrating to argue against, especially when talking to non-gamers who go by their "it quacks like a duck, its a duck" logic when they see me being focused on playing a game.

-Violent games don't make you violent. Seeing an action does not inform it.
This applies not only to violence, of course.
Again, hard to argue against for the lack of "proof".
Ain't no magic word out there explaining it all but you just know it's true. I hope.

 

[The Funslinger]

I believe in luck.


I know that everything happens through a chain of events, but a lot of things to seem to end up in my favour more often than not, while others seem to never get their own way.

I'm lucky

Clearly you are not in fact Obi Wan Kenobai... my entire belief system is shattered...

The existence of an external world. I mean, how would you prove it?

There's far more proof for the external world than for idealism, though...

 

[Captain Pirate]

Humans - Chimpanzees -> 96% identical genes.

Humans - Mice -> 80% identical genes.

As for "unique" behavior:

http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Human_and_ape_behavior

http://www.jqjacobs.net/anthro/paleo/primates.html

Well obviously.
But do those animals speak multiple languages, or have cars?
Do they do art, or science?
No, and that's my point. We're so different in other ways than genes and common behaviour.

 

[Aerosteam]

That Lee Harvey Oswald was the only person responsible for JFK's assassination.

The moon landing was real.

I would say the Indoctrination Theory for Mass Effect 3, but that's more like wanting it being true, not actually believing it is.

There's a word out there that rhymes with "orange".

Range? Arrange? Syringe?

 

[The Funslinger]

That we all see different colours but call them by a universal name.

I can sort of understand this one if you concede that the different colors we all see at least interact with each other in a consistent manner. Otherwise the entirety of color theory (things like Orange being the compliment of Blue) wouldn't work, as everyone would see different colors as having various properties with each other with no consistency. That color theory exists and is consistently accepted at least shows that the different colors we see interact on a consistent basis.

This actually relates to something I once thought about as a child.

What if everyone's perception of colours is different. So if you saw someone's perception, what they saw as blue you might see as brown. But because we're all unaware of each other's unique perceptions, and assume they're the same, the language still works as a means of communication about colour.

That would also explain why people are colour blind. Two different colours might be intensely similar to them in their personal perceived colour scheme, etc.

 

[keinechance]

Humans - Chimpanzees -> 96% identical genes.

Humans - Mice -> 80% identical genes.

As for "unique" behavior:

http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Human_and_ape_behavior

http://www.jqjacobs.net/anthro/paleo/primates.html

Well obviously.
But do those animals speak multiple languages, or have cars?
Do they do art, or science?
No, and that's my point. We're so different in other ways than genes and common behaviour.

Do you have retractable claws?

Can you fly on your own power?

Can you carry 7 times your own weight?

Animals are so far advanced over us, that I don't believe...

 

[tobi the good boy]

There's a word out there that rhymes with "orange".

Door Hinge.

OT: That I'm god, I've just got a bloody terrible imagination

 

[The Funslinger]

My existence.

I THINK that I'm here, but is that really the case?

Life gets wierd, when you think about it..

It may lead to circular argument, but you have you considered "cogito ergo sum"?

I think, therefore I am. Let's say you take it as read that nothing has been proven. Take all "confirmed" knowledge off the table, and see what you can put back on. This becomes intensely difficult.

You realize one cannot even prove their own existence. However, it could be reasoned that for there to be a questioning of this existence, if there is to be doubt, there must be something to doubt existence. This is you, and therefore you exist.

As I said, it leads to a bit of a solipsism, but it's a good base point for confirmation of existence.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Our concept of time is based on the speed of light, but Time itself does not exist.

 

[Captain Pirate]

Well obviously.
But do those animals speak multiple languages, or have cars?
Do they do art, or science?
No, and that's my point. We're so different in other ways than genes and common behaviour.

Do you have retractable claws?

Can you fly on your own power?

Can you carry 7 times your own weight?

Animals are so far advanced over us, that I don't believe...

Having a natural survival ability is, in my opinion, totally different than being able to do all the things we do, just for the sake of it.
Animals can fly, swim, all sorts of wondrous things to defend themselves, but that's a part of their natural survival.

Art, science, philosophy, entertainment, are totally unnecessary for our survival, but we have them anyway.

Even with your argument that animals are more advanced than us, that still backs up my belief in some kind of creator/god due to how naturally incredible they are.

 

[Ranorak]

Dice totally have memory.
If I rolled good on that dice, it won't roll well the next time...probably.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I believe in three assumptions.

I believe the universe exists.
I believe we can learn something about reality.
I believe models with predictive capability are better than models without predictive capability.

Believing in these 3 things is how we got that science stuff figured out. Science has to work within these 3 assumptions. Otherwise it isn't science.