Freethought & Rationalism Archive

gcameron · 04-03-2003, 01:18 AM

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(otherwise all sciences dealing with history would have to go--geology, cosmology, astrophysics, etc.)

Of course, according to at least some creationists, all those sciences do have to go...

gcameron · 04-03-2003, 01:20 AM

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It�s quite simple really. As I read somewhere, we can know that WWII did happen without being able to watch Poland being invaded, or asking Hitler why he did it. We cannot observe past events, but we can observe the effects of past events and processes, and make testable inferences about them. The events should leave traces of themselves, and we can look for these traces to confirm or refute hypotheses.

And yet atheists deny the Resurrection, which is better documented than the existence of Julius Caesar!

keyser_soze · 04-03-2003, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gcameron
And yet atheists deny the Resurrection, which is better documented than the existence of Julius Caesar!

You should put the [[Heavy duty sarcasm included]] notation on comments like those.....

Oolon Colluphid · 04-03-2003, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gcameron
And yet atheists deny the Resurrection, which is better documented than the existence of Julius Caesar!

I've been told that a number of times. Wrong forum, I know, but isn't that a pile of poo? I mean, we've got Caesar's own writings, contemporary statues, contemporary coins and incriptions by the thousand, and dozens of other writers talking about him...?

DT The former Classicist

Godot · 04-03-2003, 05:42 AM

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Originally posted by HappyFunBall
i didn't ask him what his alternative was, i was just wondering, in retrospect what makes a theory scientific

Science boils down to a set of observations that cumulatively amount to a theory which is based on the possessed knowledge at that time. The other criteria for a scientific theory is that it is capable of being revised in light of new evidence.

gcameron · 04-03-2003, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Darwin's Terrier
I've been told that a number of times. Wrong forum, I know, but isn't that a pile of poo? I mean, we've got Caesar's own writings, contemporary statues, contemporary coins and incriptions by the thousand, and dozens of other writers talking about him...?

DT The former Classicist

Ah, but how do you know they're his own writings? You're taking it all on faith! FAITH!!!!

Sorry, I'm in one of those moods.

Personally, even if the evidence were equal, I'd chalk it up to "extraordinary claims/extraordinary evidence." A guy commanding an army is less outrageous than a guy rising from the dead. Like there's no reason to disbelieve that you have an aunt in Tunbridge Wells...

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