Announcement

Collapse

Civics 101 Guidelines

Want to argue about politics? Healthcare reform? Taxes? Governments? You've come to the right place!

Try to keep it civil though. The rules still apply here.
See more
See less

Absolute Certainty is Not Scientific

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #2
    But, but, the polar bears! How can we not be certain when the polar bears are dying in droves and the Arctic is melting and Auntie Em isn't answering when we holler?









































    Sorry, I'm in a sarcastic mood today - can you tell?
    "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

    "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

    My Personal Blog

    My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

    Quill Sword

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
      Sorry, I'm in a sarcastic mood today - can you tell?
      I'm thankful that you were being sarcastic ― you had me worried about you for a few seconds.

      Comment


      • #4
        Belief in absolute certainty is wholly valid - provided the evidence is strong enough, and there is no viable evidence in contradiction.
        I would be kind of worried about a person who did not have absolute certainty that the effects of gravity can be overcome (at least temporarily) by the effects of aerodynamics, for example.
        1Cor 15:34 Come to your senses as you ought and stop sinning; for I say to your shame, there are some who know not God.
        .
        ⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛
        Scripture before Tradition:
        but that won't prevent others from
        taking it upon themselves to deprive you
        of the right to call yourself Christian.

        ⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛⊛

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by tabibito View Post
          Belief in absolute certainty is wholly valid - provided the evidence is strong enough, and there is no viable evidence in contradiction.

          I would be kind of worried about a person who did not have absolute certainty that the effects of gravity can be overcome (at least temporarily) by the effects of aerodynamics, for example.
          However, the contention that the countless imperfectly understood complexities involved in the history and nature of the climate of the planet are perfectly understood only by the scientists funded by statist governments committed to the United Nations multi-billion-dollar-financed-campaign to redistribute wealth from producers in the developed nations to consumers in the undeveloped nations ― with the vast sums of money handled by those who control the process of redistribution ― is not at all analogous to the science of gravity.

          To say that there is no viable evidence in contradiction to the theory of catastrophic anthropogenic global warming is a statement of willful ignorance.

          To cite just a single one of countless sources that present scientific evidence in contradiction to the theory of catastrophic anthropogenic global warming, see Patrick Moore's book chapter titled "Climate of Fear" in Confessions of a Greenpeace Dropout: The Making of a Sensible Environmentalist ― excerpts of which are in process of being reproduced in this forum here; please note the quote below the title of the chapter:
          If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts he shall end in certainties. 
—Sir Francis Bacon
          Last edited by John Reece; 07-01-2014, 10:56 AM.

          Comment


          • #6
            I love that quote from Francis Bacon and think it applies to exegesis and theology at least as well as it does to science.
            βλέπομεν γὰρ ἄρτι δι᾿ ἐσόπτρου ἐν αἰνίγματι, τότε δὲ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον·
            ἄρτι γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους, τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην.

            אָכֵ֕ן אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל מִסְתַּתֵּ֑ר אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by tabibito View Post
              Belief in absolute certainty is wholly valid - provided the evidence is strong enough, and there is no viable evidence in contradiction.
              I would be kind of worried about a person who did not have absolute certainty that the effects of gravity can be overcome (at least temporarily) by the effects of aerodynamics, for example.

              Are you absolutely certain?
              "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

              "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

              My Personal Blog

              My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

              Quill Sword

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by robrecht View Post
                I love that quote from Francis Bacon and think it applies to exegesis and theology at least as well as it does to science.


                That's why we share the same TheologyWeb signature.

                I was thinking of you when I went back to copy & paste the quote from Francis Bacon.
                Last edited by John Reece; 07-01-2014, 01:10 PM.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by John Reece View Post


                  That's why we share the same TheologyWeb signature.

                  I was thinking of you when I went back to copy & paste the quote from Francis Bacon.

                  Well, there goes my theory that Rob's your sock puppet!

                  "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                  "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

                  My Personal Blog

                  My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

                  Quill Sword

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
                    Well, there goes my theory that Rob's your sock puppet!

                    Such a theory is just not plausible.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      The last line in the OP article, which refers back to the OP:
                      "We should all remember that Feynman also said, "If you think that science is certain—well that's just an error on your part."

                      Please tell me, is the old WSJ article free from a paywall now? Impossible for me to tell because I am a WSJ subscriber.
                      Last edited by John Reece; 07-01-2014, 01:31 PM.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by John Reece View Post
                        Such a theory is just not plausible.
                        Sock puppetry and plausibility aren't actually on speaking terms...
                        "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                        "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

                        My Personal Blog

                        My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

                        Quill Sword

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by John Reece View Post
                          The last line in the OP article, which refers back to the OP:
                          "We should all remember that Feynman also said, "If you think that science is certain—well that's just an error on your part."

                          Please tell me, is the old WSJ article free from a paywall now? Impossible for me to tell because I am a WSJ subscriber.
                          I can see it without a subscription - I didn't see an indication of a free trial or anything.
                          "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                          "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

                          My Personal Blog

                          My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

                          Quill Sword

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
                            I can see it without a subscription - I didn't see an indication of a free trial or anything.
                            Thanks!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
                              Sock puppetry and plausibility aren't actually on speaking terms...

                              Comment

                              Related Threads

                              Collapse

                              Topics Statistics Last Post
                              Started by little_monkey, Yesterday, 04:19 PM
                              16 responses
                              77 views
                              0 likes
                              Last Post Mountain Man  
                              Started by whag, 03-26-2024, 04:38 PM
                              52 responses
                              267 views
                              0 likes
                              Last Post Mountain Man  
                              Started by rogue06, 03-26-2024, 11:45 AM
                              25 responses
                              109 views
                              0 likes
                              Last Post rogue06
                              by rogue06
                               
                              Started by Hypatia_Alexandria, 03-26-2024, 09:21 AM
                              33 responses
                              195 views
                              0 likes
                              Last Post Roy
                              by Roy
                               
                              Started by Hypatia_Alexandria, 03-26-2024, 08:34 AM
                              83 responses
                              351 views
                              0 likes
                              Last Post Sparko
                              by Sparko
                               
                              Working...
                              X