RE: Objective evidence for the existence of Jesus Christ?
March 31, 2015 at 10:49 pm
(This post was last modified: March 31, 2015 at 11:01 pm by Mudhammam.)
(March 31, 2015 at 9:56 pm)YahwehIsTheWay Wrote:It is fallacious to dismiss evidence presented on the basis of appeal to authority. To accept the evidence under discussion as credible on the basis of analysis done by experts is not.(March 31, 2015 at 8:45 pm)Nestor Wrote: Eh, not quite. It's not a fallacy to say, "I am justified in believing X about Jesus because 99% of experts in the relevant field also believe X about Jesus." You're probably thinking about the fallacy known as Appeal to Unqualified Authority, which would be more like, "I am justified in believing X about Jesus because 70% of marine biologists also believe X about Jesus," a fallacy I have not committed.
Actually, it really is a fallacy to say, "X is true because I'm the expert and I say so; now shut up and stop asking questions." It's also a fallacy to say, "X is true because smart guy says so." even if said "smart guy" is an expert in the appropriate field.
What's not a fallacy is "X is true and here's the evidence to prove it."
Even experts are required to provide evidence.
I don't believe in evolution because Richard Dawkins says so, even though Richard Dawkins is an expert in the field of biology. I accept evolution because of the evidence support it. If you challenged Richard Dawkins to prove evolution, his argument wouldn't rely simply on "scholarly consensus". He would use the knowledge he has to produce enough evidence to crush any doubts.
EDIT: Sorry, I forgot to stay in character. It's been a very long day at work.
He who loves God cannot endeavour that God should love him in return - Baruch Spinoza