Is it me or is this site in its death throes?

Discussion in 'Site Feedback' started by Bowser, Jul 17, 2017.

  1. Yazata Valued Senior Member

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    5,902
    If 'knowledge' is 'justified true belief', then it would be impossible to have false knowledge. 'Belief' doesn't suffer from that restriction and we can believe things whether they are true or false.

    In the case of knowing Newton's physics (assuming for the sake of argument that Newton's physics is false and not a true approximation), one can still truly know what Newton's laws were, even if those laws don't truly apply to the universe.

    In a similar way, I can know what particular passages of the Bible say, without committing myself to the truth of those passages.
     
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  3. Beer w/Straw Transcendental Ignorance! Valued Senior Member

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    I was going to say something of the uncertainty principle but figured it wasn't fitting.

    I can't say where this thread is headed.
     
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  5. Yazata Valued Senior Member

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    I agree. That's one reason why my degree of skepticism varies regarding ufos, depending on what kind of claims are being made.

    If it's just 'I saw something in the sky that I couldn't identify', I have very few doubts. But if it's 'I saw an alien spaceship in the sky', I'm far more skeptical.

    I'm inclined to weight evidence according to its subjective plausibility to me. I would give pretty much any sighting report a high plausibility rating if it was only being used to support the first proposition. But I'd probably give the same report much lower credence if it was being used to support the second alien spaceship claim.
     
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  7. The God Valued Senior Member

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    3,546
    Yazata,

    I am sure both Kittamaru and Bells are not serious when they assert that eye witness testimony is bullshit.

    Yes, if an eye witness is dishonest, then he may spread falsehood; similarly his perception of event he is witnessing may be flawed; but nonetheless this is the best mode of testimony. I will again emphasize the example (it appeared sarcastic to me for MR but quite valuable?) as given by James R, the eye witness account is good, very precise, but monk's conclusion based on his belief and know how at that time was bad. Now if we have access to that account by monk (subject to authenticity) then we can correlate that with the appearance of comet during that period.
     
  8. Kittamaru Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Adieu, Sciforums. Valued Senior Member

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    Ah, there's the ad-hominem attacks you were talking about.

    I made an entirely valid comparison between what he stated about my religious beliefs to his beliefs in the paranormal. If you dislike it, that's too bad; MR is the one that brought up personally held beliefs - I simply pointed out the similarities between what he was trying to ridicule (religion) and what he personally believes (aliens).

    1) I was not aware you had a neural link with my head, and thus had intimate knowledge of what I understand and do not understand. Fascinating - you should share this ability and/or technology with the world at large, as it would no doubt be incredibly useful in helping law enforcement agencies and psychotherapists alike in their work.
    2) Per Merriam Webster:
    https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perception
    Definition of perception
    1a : a result of perceiving : observation
    1b : a mental image : concept
    2 (obsolete) : consciousness
    3a : awareness of the elements of environment through physical sensation color perception
    3b : physical sensation interpreted in the light of experience
    4a : quick, acute, and intuitive cognition : appreciation
    4b : a capacity for comprehension

    I would say that, by every measure of the word, we were all aware of the chance for something to be lost in retelling / lost in translation. Again, what is it that makes you pick this particular battle, when it isn't even a battleground to begin with?

    Sounds like an admission of guilt to me.

    Then I accept that you haven't a counter argument to make, nor feel your claim has merit enough to even bring up to the Administration. Thank you.

    Hold the phone -my claim is not, and to the best of my recollection has never been, that "eye witness testimony is bullshit by nature" - my claim is that eye-witness testimony ALONE is insufficient evidence; extraordinary claims DEMAND extraordinary evidence, and simply saying "I saw a little green man with my own two peepers!" is not extraordinary evidence.

    I am curious, Yazata, as to why you are suddenly being deceptive in this.
    In post 56, MR said:
    I replied with the quote from MIB in post 57
    This was, specifically, to make the point that just because people think they know something, they can be incorrect. Now, do you wish to contend that is incorrect?

    MR responded with a personal attack:
    I responded with the contention that there is, in fact, more corroborating evidence for Religious claims (and that they are more aligned) than there is for the Paranormal claims MR repeatedly makes, and that it was ironic that MR is perfectly willing to accept said paranormal claims on far less evidence, yet will deride Religious claims vehemently, regardless the backing.

    How you come to the conclusion that I am the one "moving the goalposts", I cannot even begin to comprehend. I made the comparison to illustrate the point that they are similar in terms of their sources of evidence, and yet MR accepts the one with the smaller body of evidence whilst dismissing the one with the larger body of evidence.

    Now, if you wish to say there is more evidence for Paranormal Activity beyond the eye witness tellings... I would dearly love to see an actual, hands-on analysis of an alien craft or alien body, or perhaps a reasonable definition recorded interaction with an extra terrestrial. We live in an age where a large percentage of the World Population carries a high definition video camera with them at all times, after all.
     
  9. Tralay Registered Member

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    86
    I think that when people run out of things to say because they've already said them a hundred times over the years it causes a reduction in participation
     
  10. Beer w/Straw Transcendental Ignorance! Valued Senior Member

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    Eye witness testimony is not a reproducible experiment.

    Now I think with that said... Yeah, I'm lost.
     
  11. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    Multiple eyewitness accounts aren't reproduced evidence? Since when?
     
  12. Kittamaru Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Adieu, Sciforums. Valued Senior Member

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    Where did I argue that we had first hand accounts of Creation, Sodom and Gomorrah, or any of that? Kindly quote me, if you are able (hint - you won't be able, as I did not). There you go, being dishonest again and making claims for things that were never said. As I believe you have been given several warnings by James R regarding this, as recent as just two weeks ago, one would think you would learn a lesson of some sort.

    Thankfully for the rest of us, you do not get to redefine the English language

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    You and two or three others witness "mysterious lights" in the sky at night.

    A few days later, you are asked to reproduce it.

    What do you do? Oh, you cannot.

    You are being pedantic because you know you are on the losing side of the facts.
     
  13. The God Valued Senior Member

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    3,546
    Kittamaru,.
    I am trying to bow out but you are not letting me, once upon a time I was at 95, thanks to Paddoboy's irritations, now I am at zero.

    I have had some arguments with you in the past, my observation is that the best job you attempted to do was to screw Trump, you failed there too. I was quite straightforward in telling you that you should recuse from moderating science threads, now I feel you will make a good ordinary member here.
     
  14. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    16,605
    One person sees something and gives an account. Another person sees the same thing and gives an account. The eyewitness testimony is thus reproduced.
     
  15. Kittamaru Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Adieu, Sciforums. Valued Senior Member

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    You were at 95, now you are at zero... what? Age? Shoe Size? Number of Watermelons on your Roof?

    Then, as I said - take it up with James R - otherwise, quit whining when you fail to make a good argument

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  16. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    Oh I see. So now you don't believe the Bible is the inspired word of God. Is that what you are saying? How are the events in Genesis to be confirmed then?

    Also lying about supposed warnings I have received is a violation of Sci Forum rules. I suggest you don't do that.
     
  17. Beer w/Straw Transcendental Ignorance! Valued Senior Member

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    6,549
    Video?
     
  18. Kittamaru Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Adieu, Sciforums. Valued Senior Member

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    Either you are being intentionally dishonest, or you have abysmal reading comprehension.
    BWS said:
    Two people witnessing an event is not reproducing the event. Thus, it is not reproducing the experiment.

    Try again.

    You are, once again, desperately throwing out red herrings, knowing you cannot refute the argument that was presented. Trolling and intellectual dishonesty, your usual offerings.
     
  19. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    The event of the eyewitnesses seeing the event is reproduced. EOS.
     
  20. Kittamaru Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Adieu, Sciforums. Valued Senior Member

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    If you wish, I can post what James R posted in the back room in public - as you said, lying about your warnings is a violation...

    It is not reproducing the experiment (or in your case, the event) which is what BWS said. I suggest you go back to grade school if your reading comprehension is actually that poor.
     
  21. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    Evasion from answering simple question? That's typical for you.
     
  22. Kittamaru Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Adieu, Sciforums. Valued Senior Member

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    Perhaps if your question was relevant, I would answer it

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    As it is, it is a red herring. You are just throwing a hissy fit because you cannot refute what was said and were caught being dishonest... and it is actually kind of sad to witness.
     
  23. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    16,605
    Go ahead and post where he warned me about claiming things people believe that they do not believe. I'll wait.
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2017

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