"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence".

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"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence".

Angrboda Offline

Bringer Of Grief

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#20

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence".

November 1, 2012 at 9:40 pm

(November 1, 2012 at 10:00 am)DoubtVsFaith Wrote:
(November 1, 2012 at 7:42 am)Kirbmarc Wrote: If you don't have a way to detect something, believing in it is irrational.

Logically irrational yes, pragmatically irrational not necessarily. If believing in something undetectable somehow gave you the boost of confidence required to help get you through something in life - or help you avoid death itself - then it can be pragmatically rational, it can be useful like a placebo can be useful. It is pragmatically rational to believe in what helps solve the problem, whether that belief is true or false. It is only when the logical irrationality of the matter negatively affects the pragmatic rationality of the matter that it also therefore becomes pragmatically irrational and unjustifiable too.

Just out of curiosity: can we not detect the truth of something through logic? If "detect" means to more or less "discover" don't you detect something whenever you discover the truth of something through logical argument?

Logic is always inference. Physical is detection. Primarily, if for no other reason, we instinctively understand why detect is reliable when reliable. Inference is not nearly as robust or certain.

(Think of Godel and the Halting problem and NP complete.)

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Messages In This Thread

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Edwardo Piet - October 29, 2012 at 4:55 pm

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Minimalist - October 29, 2012 at 5:11 pm

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Angrboda - October 29, 2012 at 5:11 pm

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Norfolk And Chance - November 1, 2012 at 5:25 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Darkstar - October 29, 2012 at 5:12 pm

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Edwardo Piet - November 1, 2012 at 5:35 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Kirbmarc - November 1, 2012 at 7:42 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Angrboda - November 1, 2012 at 7:46 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Edwardo Piet - November 1, 2012 at 10:00 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Angrboda - November 1, 2012 at 9:40 pm

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Minimalist - November 1, 2012 at 10:36 pm

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Angrboda - November 2, 2012 at 2:03 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Norfolk And Chance - November 2, 2012 at 9:44 pm

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Norfolk And Chance - November 9, 2012 at 12:56 pm

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Kirbmarc - November 1, 2012 at 7:54 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Angrboda - November 1, 2012 at 8:14 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Kirbmarc - November 1, 2012 at 8:25 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Angrboda - November 1, 2012 at 8:35 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Kirbmarc - November 1, 2012 at 8:37 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Angrboda - November 1, 2012 at 8:54 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Kirbmarc - November 1, 2012 at 9:04 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Angrboda - November 1, 2012 at 9:09 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Kirbmarc - November 1, 2012 at 9:12 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Angrboda - November 1, 2012 at 9:21 am

RE: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - by Minimalist - November 2, 2012 at 10:41 pm

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