(March 29, 2013 at 10:38 pm)jstrodel Wrote: It isn't absolute definitely. But what sort of argument outside of mathematics produces certain conclusions?Forma; deductive logic, I suppose.
(March 29, 2013 at 10:38 pm)jstrodel Wrote: I think the argument from authority is a good argument, if you have a well developed sense of what constitutes a good authority. This is not easy to do, but if you have this, it is a good argument.I don't think an argument solely from authority is a good argument. If I said "scientist X accepts evolution, so you should too" and left it at that, that would be fallacious. Now, if I said "scientist X is knowledgeable about biology, and this is the evidence he has for evolution" that would be different. I realize that you are arguing that at some point we have to take their word for something (what if all of the evidence was faked?) if we don't do the science personally, but that doesn't mean that there isn't still a significant difference taking their word for it, and seeing why they support a certain position.
Also, things like peer review, falsifiability, the ability to repeat the results/find supporting evidence, etc. would be helpful in determining if the evidence was legitimate, or most likely bad science.
John Adams Wrote:The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.