RE: Entropy, Kalam, and First Cause
March 19, 2015 at 7:53 am
(This post was last modified: March 19, 2015 at 7:53 am by watchamadoodle.)
(March 19, 2015 at 7:26 am)robvalue Wrote: It's fine to say "I don't know". When we don't have enough information to draw a meaningful conclusion, that is the only honest answer. What benefit is there in making up scenarios, especially if they are unfalsifiable ones that can never be tested?The falsifiability is probably the key.
In fact, a fake answer is worse than no answer because it can stop people continuing the search for the real answer. Maybe we'll find it eventually, maybe we won't. But either way, assuming a made-up answer is the best solution is an argument from ignorance, a logical fallacy. It may be wrong but untestable. And it doesn't actually explain anything at all.
To take this model seriously is to place 2000 year old superstitious ramblings higher than all science has achieved since then.
- some things are theoretically impossible to falsify and cannot be knowledge
- some things are theoretically possible to falsify, but practically impossible today
- some things are possible to falsify - if you are an expert in the field
- some things are possible to falsify - even for laypeople like me
Of course Christianity doesn't make to many falsifiable claims that could be called knowledge IMO.
- the Kingdom of Heaven will come in the generation of Jesus (but don't take that literally)
- God answers prayers (but don't put God to the test)
- ... (hard to think of anything else)