NationStates Jolt Archive

Invoking the supernatural can explain anything, thus it explains nothing.

If religion sounds rediculous to you, be atheist. It makes sense to me in ways, therefore, I am religious.

If religion sounds rediculous to you, be atheist. It makes sense to me in ways, therefore, I am religious.
He's not saying that you can't beleive in your religion, just that religion can't be used to explain natural phenomena. It allows any chain of events to occur with equal probability and leaves one totally unable to determine what happened and how it happened.

Invoking the supernatural can explain anything, thus it explains nothing.
or... it explains everything.....

i agree.

hmm, it's a bit odd how if something is stated for all then it becomes the opposite way around, such as, if nothing exists then things do exist
i think it may have to do something with if nothing exists then things must be there or else there wouldn't be anything to not exist or something like that. i don't know, i knew why when i started this post but got sidetracked and forgot...

i agree.

hmm, it's a bit odd how if something is stated for all then it becomes the opposite way around, such as, if nothing exists then things do exist
i think it may have to do something with if nothing exists then things must be there or else there wouldn't be anything to not exist or something like that. i don't know, i knew why when i started this post but got sidetracked and forgot...
yeah I kinda get what you are trying to say. My husband sent me an email about light bulbs not really producing light so much as sucking dark. Because where did the dark go when you turn the light on? it was there when it was off.
most hilarious thing ever. :D

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743488288/qid=1125791507/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-0323610-3859044?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Hawkintom']http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743488288/qid=1125791507/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-0323610-3859044?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
got that one. good book.

Indeed, it the hypothesis is unfalsifiable, it's bollocks. :)

yeah I kinda get what you are trying to say. My husband sent me an email about light bulbs not really producing light so much as sucking dark. Because where did the dark go when you turn the light on? it was there when it was off.
most hilarious thing ever. :D
heheheh. one moment, i have to suck the dark out of the room
do you still have the article? i'd really like to read it, it sounds very amusing :p

or... it explains everything.....

In a completely useless manner.

Ie: We can choose from the two following explanatory frameworks for the motion of the planetary bodies:

1. Conventinal physics.

2. Invisible magic Space Fairies have them hitched up to their invisible flying Pegasi and drag them around the solar system.

Number 1 and number 2 both account for all the observable data. However, number 1 predicts the observable data as a direct result of it's calculations, and tells us how the planets should continue to behave and why they do so. If tomorrow the moon took a quick spin out around Jupiter and back for no apparent reason we would know there was something wrong with explanation number 1. This is also known as being falsifiable.

Number 2 on the other hand is unfalsifiable. It can explain ANYTHING. If the moon keeps doing what it's doing it's because the Space Fairies are doing it. If the moon stops dead in it's tracks it's because the space fairies did it. If the moon turns at a sharp right angle and smashes into the earth this afternoon it's because the space fairies did it.

So what does explanation 2 actually tell us? What does it contribute to the state of human knowledge? Can it tell us where the moon should be tomorrow night at 10:16pm PST? No. Because it could be anywhere and still be consistent with this so-called "explanation". Does it tell us where it was 4500 years ago on july 15th? No. It could have been resting on the surface of Mars and still be consistent with this so-called "explanation."

Which is what is meant by the statement that an explanation that can explain anything, explains nothing. It's completely, totally, utterly useless.

wow that's a thinker

'Nothing' is part of 'anything,' so invoking the supernatural to explain anything actually explains nothing. Logic's awesome. ID can be falsifiable depending on the formulation since falsifiability only requires stating what would make the theory false. Most people who push ID aren't concerned about falsifying their claim, but I don't think ID's inherently unfalsifiable.

In a completely useless manner.

Ie: We can choose from the two following explanatory frameworks for the motion of the planetary bodies:

1. Conventinal physics.

2. Invisible magic Space Fairies have them hitched up to their invisible flying Pegasi and drag them around the solar system.

Number 1 and number 2 both account for all the observable data. However, number 1 predicts the observable data as a direct result of it's calculations, and tells us how the planets should continue to behave and why they do so. If tomorrow the moon took a quick spin out around Jupiter and back for no apparent reason we would know there was something wrong with explanation number 1. This is also known as being falsifiable.

Number 2 on the other hand is unfalsifiable. It can explain ANYTHING. If the moon keeps doing what it's doing it's because the Space Fairies are doing it. If the moon stops dead in it's tracks it's because the space fairies did it. If the moon turns at a sharp right angle and smashes into the earth this afternoon it's because the space fairies did it.

So what does explanation 2 actually tell us? What does it contribute to the state of human knowledge? Can it tell us where the moon should be tomorrow night at 10:16pm PST? No. Because it could be anywhere and still be consistent with this so-called "explanation". Does it tell us where it was 4500 years ago on july 15th? No. It could have been resting on the surface of Mars and still be consistent with this so-called "explanation."

Which is what is meant by the statement that an explanation that can explain anything, explains nothing. It's completely, totally, utterly useless.
of course I see your point. I was trying to be contrary.
In my opinion no one but God can know where the moon will be tomorrow at 10:16 PST. As humans we are only able to observe the smallest fractions of the big picture. I am not anti Science. I am not anti God either. Seems like a paradox doesn't it?

In a completely useless manner.

Ie: We can choose from the two following explanatory frameworks for the motion of the planetary bodies:

1. Conventinal physics.

2. Invisible magic Space Fairies have them hitched up to their invisible flying Pegasi and drag them around the solar system.

Number 1 and number 2 both account for all the observable data. However, number 1 predicts the observable data as a direct result of it's calculations, and tells us how the planets should continue to behave and why they do so. If tomorrow the moon took a quick spin out around Jupiter and back for no apparent reason we would know there was something wrong with explanation number 1. This is also known as being falsifiable.

Number 2 on the other hand is unfalsifiable. It can explain ANYTHING. If the moon keeps doing what it's doing it's because the Space Fairies are doing it. If the moon stops dead in it's tracks it's because the space fairies did it. If the moon turns at a sharp right angle and smashes into the earth this afternoon it's because the space fairies did it.

So what does explanation 2 actually tell us? What does it contribute to the state of human knowledge? Can it tell us where the moon should be tomorrow night at 10:16pm PST? No. Because it could be anywhere and still be consistent with this so-called "explanation". Does it tell us where it was 4500 years ago on july 15th? No. It could have been resting on the surface of Mars and still be consistent with this so-called "explanation."

Which is what is meant by the statement that an explanation that can explain anything, explains nothing. It's completely, totally, utterly useless.

And should the Space Faeries actually do such things? Discovering such would still be useless?

heheheh. one moment, i have to suck the dark out of the room
do you still have the article? i'd really like to read it, it sounds very amusing :p
dark sucker theory (http://home.netcom.com/~rogermw/darksucker.html)

There are variations on ID that don't invoke the supernatural.

'Nothing' is part of 'anything,' so invoking the supernatural to explain anything actually explains nothing. Logic's awesome. ID can be falsifiable depending on the formulation since falsifiability only requires stating what would make the theory false. Most people who push ID aren't concerned about falsifying their claim, but I don't think ID's inherently unfalsifiable.
I don't believe anything is inherently unfalsifiable. I think a great many scientific theorys are unprovable, but that doesn't really bother me since I am unable to produce scientific evidence of God, but I still believe anyway.

And should the Space Faeries actually do such things? Discovering such would still be useless?

And how, prey tell, would we discover such a thing? They're magically invisible remember?

And if the moon did start behaving contrary to the predictions of conventional phyics I defy you to come up with a supernatural explanation that explains the observed event that is confirmably superior in the smallest degree to any other supernatural explanation.

Like that my neighbour did a magic moon control dance... or the IPU got angry at it and smacked it with her holy horn... or the demons from the abyss are trying to steal it...

Supernatural attempts at "explanations" get us precisely nowhere.

And how, prey tell, would we discover such a thing? They're magically invisible remember?

And if the moon did start behaving contrary to the predictions of conventional phyics I defy you to come up with a supernatural explanation that explains the observed event that is confirmably superior in the smallest degree to any other supernatural explanation.

Like that my neighbour did a magic moon control dance... or the IPU got angry at it and smacked it with her holy horn... or the demons from the abyss are trying to steal it...

Supernatural attempts at "explanations" get us precisely nowhere.
heheheh, i know how! we shoot things around the moon and see if the bullet acts like it's hit something! all you said was invisible.

There are variations on ID that don't invoke the supernatural.

Ultimately, it does invoke the supernatural because ID by some alien race just moves the process of evolution to some other planet.

heheheh, i know how! we shoot things around the moon and see if the bullet acts like it's hit something! all you said was invisible.

Bah! As if the magic space fairies are susceptible to your mundane methods! They just magically avoid them, or let them pass right through their bodies without harming them. And if the bullets do act like they hit something prove it was space fairies and not those thieving abyss demons or a big invisible pink rump.

Behold the power of the supernatural explanation to defy falsification or confirmation!

Bah! As if the magic space fairies are susceptible to your mundane methods! They just magically avoid them, or let them pass right through their bodies without harming them. And if the bullets do act like they hit something prove it was space fairies and not those thieving abyss demons or a big invisible pink rump.

Behold the power of the supernatural explanation to defy falsification or confirmation!

The magic space fairies are bastards. They hid fossils all over the place, mucked around with the carbon-14, dug some deep canyons, and did a whole lot of other devious things just so we'd be thrown off the trail. I hate the magic space fairies.

Invoking the supernatural can explain anything, thus it explains nothing.
Because saying the universe randomly decided to explode itself into existance for no particular reason explains everything. :rolleyes:

And before anyone says anything:
Exaggeration. I do it a lot.

Because saying the universe randomly decided to explode itself into existance for no particular reason explains everything. :rolleyes:

My, you sure seem keen to stereotype the beliefs of someone you know nothing about other than one single line in this thread.

Invoking the supernatural can explain anything, thus it explains nothing.
I absolutely agree.

Invoking the supernatural can explain anything, thus it explains nothing.

Oh it explains...anything. Which is why it is wonderful!

If lightning strikes your house, invoke the supernatural!
If you didn't brush your teeth this morning, invoke the supernatural!
Stumbled over a lamp cord? Invoke the supernatural.
Seeing forums on the internet? Invoke the supernatural.

It's great. :) You never have to study anything or engage in critical analysis (though of course some folks who believe in the supernatural do anyway, darn them). You can stop thinking and enjoy yourself knowing that you have an explanation for anything ready at hand.

Woohoo! :D

Behold the power of the supernatural explanation to defy falsification or confirmation!

Yes! One might almost think it is a...supernatural...power. :D

Yes! One might almost think it is a...supernatural...power. :D
LOL

In a completely useless manner.

Ie: We can choose from the two following explanatory frameworks for the motion of the planetary bodies:

1. Conventinal physics.

2. Invisible magic Space Fairies have them hitched up to their invisible flying Pegasi and drag them around the solar system.

Number 1 and number 2 both account for all the observable data. However, number 1 predicts the observable data as a direct result of it's calculations, and tells us how the planets should continue to behave and why they do so. If tomorrow the moon took a quick spin out around Jupiter and back for no apparent reason we would know there was something wrong with explanation number 1. This is also known as being falsifiable.

Number 2 on the other hand is unfalsifiable. It can explain ANYTHING. If the moon keeps doing what it's doing it's because the Space Fairies are doing it. If the moon stops dead in it's tracks it's because the space fairies did it. If the moon turns at a sharp right angle and smashes into the earth this afternoon it's because the space fairies did it.

So what does explanation 2 actually tell us? What does it contribute to the state of human knowledge? Can it tell us where the moon should be tomorrow night at 10:16pm PST? No. Because it could be anywhere and still be consistent with this so-called "explanation". Does it tell us where it was 4500 years ago on july 15th? No. It could have been resting on the surface of Mars and still be consistent with this so-called "explanation."

Which is what is meant by the statement that an explanation that can explain anything, explains nothing. It's completely, totally, utterly useless.


Thpppppp.

Everyone knows that the Space Fairies ride platypuses - not Pegasi - which rather makes your entire argument totally false.