theory and prediction

Originally posted by Nemesio
Work with me here, Coletti.

Is it a fact that the Sun will rise tomorrow (from our perspective,
of course)? If so, in a sentence or two, why is this a fact?

Nemesio

That is a prediction. It is a fact that the sun rose yesterday. As much as I believe it is true that the sun will rise tomorrow, that does not make it a fact. It may not rise tomorrow. Facts are not predictions - no matter how strongly we agree with them.

Originally posted by Coletti
That is a prediction. It is a fact that the sun rose yesterday. As much as I believe it is true that the sun will rise tomorrow, that does not make it a fact. It may not rise tomorrow. Facts are not predictions - no matter how strongly we agree with them.

Please recall your definition above:

Facts can be measured, observed, repeated. Theories can not. Theories are built on facts. They are not one and the same.

If I did not observe the sun's rising yesterday (let's say I stayed
indoors playing chess), was it a fact (from my perspective)? If so,
why?

Nemesio

Originally posted by Nemesio
This sort of skepticism is extreme and undermines just about any concept
of 'fact' that exists.

A fact is something that can be reasonably conclude from empirical data.
That water has existed on the earth for 3.6 billion years can be extrapolated
from all manner of data which points to a single conclusion.

I have never observed when lead goes fr ...[text shortened]... th starting 3.6 billion years ago can be proven,
repeatedly and consistently.

Nemesio

That water has existed on the earth for 3.6 billion years can be
extrapolated from all manner of data which points to a single
conclusion.

Excuse me, the only thing that points to 3.6 billions years are the
opinions of people.
Kelly

Originally posted by Nemesio
Please recall your definition above:

Facts can be measured, observed, repeated. Theories can not. Theories are built on facts. They are not one and the same.

If I did not observe the sun's rising yesterday (let's say I stayed
indoors playing chess), was it a fact (from my perspective)? If so,
why?

Nemesio

Because your statement was: "Is it a fact that the Sun will rise tomorrow...?" The simple word "will" means the statement is not a factual statement.

If I did not observe the sun's rising yesterday (let's say I stayed
indoors playing chess), was it a fact (from my perspective)? If so,
why?

It does not matter if you personally observed it, that is not part of the definition. (And note this is past tense.)

Originally posted by no1marauder
It is a fact that all living forms come from previous living forms.


That's NOT a fact????? And where, pray tell, do they come from? Even you have parents, don't you? Your post is a hoot and shows what an utter stubborn, simpleton you are. If everybody thought like you, the human race wouldn't have invented the wheel, forget about compu ...[text shortened]... wide flood deserves this response every time he tries to expound on science:

LMFAO!!!

Your facts either stand or fall on themselves, not on what others
believe about other topics. If you believe the list of facts given
earlier prove them, if they are facts it shouldn't be to hard.
Kelly

Originally posted by Coletti
It does not matter if you personally observed it, that is not part of the definition. (And note this is past tense.)

Let's review.

You said:

Facts can be measured, observed, repeated.

If I did not observe the sun's rising yesterday, is it a fact that it did?

Let's take this a step further. We didn't know Pluto existed before
the 20th century. Is it a fact that it went around the Sun in the 19th
century, or is it a theory?

Nemesio

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
Sometimes this forum cracks me up. We debate the same old shit over and over and over again in some of the most creatively nonsensical ways.

I agree. It would be nice to see a list of things agreed upon.

If personal insults could be kept out of it, I wonder if we could
get a list of 100 things we agree upon.

Kelly

Originally posted by KellyJay
I agree. It would be nice to see a list of things agreed upon.

If personal insults could be kept out of it, I wonder if we could
get a list of 100 things we agree upon.

Kelly

OK.

Proposed Spirituality Forum Tenet #1: Neither the existence nor the non-existence of God is a fact.

Do we all agree on this, or do some people insist otherwise?

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
OK.

Proposed Spirituality Forum Tenet #1: Neither the existence nor the non-existence of God is a fact.

Do we all agree on this, or do some people insist otherwise?

Silly tenet. The existence of all things is a true if you can define it. The question has nothing to do with existence, it has to do with definition.

Originally posted by Coletti
Silly tenet. The existence of all things is a true if you can define it. The question has nothing to do with existence, it has to do with definition.

Proposed Spirituality Forum Tenet #2: Proposed Spirituality Forum Tenet #1 is silly because the existence of all things is a true if you can define it [sic].

Do we all agree on this, or do some insist otherwise?

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
OK.

Proposed Spirituality Forum Tenet #1: Neither the existence nor the non-existence of God is a fact.

Do we all agree on this, or do some people insist otherwise?

No, No, No. Either it is a fact that God exists or it is a fact that God does not exist.

Originally posted by Nemesio
Let's review.

You said:

Facts can be measured, [b]observed, repeated.

If I did not observe the sun's rising yesterday, is it a fact that it did?

Let's take this a step further. We didn't know Pluto existed before
the 20th century. Is it a fact that it went around the Sun in the 19th
century, or is it a theory?

Nemesio[/b]

Again you are taking about past tenses. There are many facts we have yet to observe. But talking about them before we observe them would not make them facts. Since we have observed Pluto going around the sun, we can say it is a fact that Pluto goes around the sun. If it went around the sun 9,000 years ago could be debated if there are no observations. But it would be fine to believe it is true. Not all truths are scientific facts. All scientific facts are true.

Originally posted by bbarr
No, No, No. Either it is a fact that God exists or it is a fact that God does not exist.

God exists is a fact. The question is what defintion of God is true.

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
Proposed Spirituality Forum Tenet #2: Proposed Spirituality Forum Tenet #1 is silly because the existence of all things is a true if you can define it [sic].

Do we all agree on this, or do some insist otherwise?

I'm tempted to disagree for the fun of it. 😀