(November 4, 2014 at 11:14 am)TreeSapNest Wrote:(November 4, 2014 at 11:09 am)Chas Wrote: Believing something for which there is no evidence, even indirect evidence, is irrational. Your turn.
Am I irrational if I believe my neighbor when he tells me he saw a mouse in his basement?
You have indirect evidence. You know that mice actually exist, that your neighbor has a basement, that your neighbor isn't a liar. It is rational to believe his claim.
If your neighbor tells you he saw a dragon in his basement, you would require evidence of the existence of dragons before considering his claim. Simply believing him would be irrational.
Skepticism is not a position; it is an approach to claims.
Science is not a subject, but a method.
Science is not a subject, but a method.