Knowing

Anthony · 06-30-2009, 09:44 AM

time for some philosophy 101, muthas

Isn't everything inherently unknowable due to the subjectivity of human experience? And, if that's true, doesn't it follow that literally anything is possible? I understand that hamburgers don't eat people and that the sky is, in fact, blue. But I also find a lot to like in the idea that we, as a human race, know literally nothing. That, for all we know, the immutable laws of physics aren't all that immutable.

How can we say anything is certain if we don't know everything? In order to really know something for sure, we would have to experience everything that had ever happened or will ever happen. By that logic, we should just give up on scientific study of any kind, as we'll never be able to reach a true scientific conclusion because we only truly know what is presented to us. Not only can you not disprove a negative, you can't prove a positive. You can't prove anything. Literally everything we say we know right now could just as easily be disproven in a second with one abnormality or anomaly. So we don't really "know" - We just know until we're given evidence to contradict what we know, and then we know something else. And it's a never ending cycle of knowing without really knowing at all.

A well-known proponent of the "We don't know anything for sure, so in theory, literally anything is possible" argument is Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics

Darkest Hour · 07-01-2009, 01:14 AM

how do we even know anything outside of our minds exist? Everything we see doesn;t have to be real does it? Kind of like a dream, we see it, but it's not real.

Freebase Dali · 07-01-2009, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkest Hour

how do we even know anything outside of our minds exist? Everything we see doesn;t have to be real does it? Kind of like a dream, we see it, but it's not real.

Tell that to a meteorite who's trajectory coincidentally puts itself through your skull without you even having time to blink an eye before you drop to the ground dead.
You didn't see it.
Is it real?

Inuzuka Skysword · 07-01-2009, 03:11 PM

This is the kind of bull**** philosophy that you get over when you realize that you have a life to live and an existence to maximize.

boo boo · 07-01-2009, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthony

time for some philosophy 101, muthas

Isn't everything inherently unknowable due to the subjectivity of human experience? And, if that's true, doesn't it follow that literally anything is possible? I understand that hamburgers don't eat people and that the sky is, in fact, blue. But I also find a lot to like in the idea that we, as a human race, know literally nothing. That, for all we know, the immutable laws of physics aren't all that immutable.

How can we say anything is certain if we don't know everything? In order to really know something for sure, we would have to experience everything that had ever happened or will ever happen. By that logic, we should just give up on scientific study of any kind, as we'll never be able to reach a true scientific conclusion because we only truly know what is presented to us. Not only can you not disprove a negative, you can't prove a positive. You can't prove anything. Literally everything we say we know right now could just as easily be disproven in a second with one abnormality or anomaly. So we don't really "know" - We just know until we're given evidence to contradict what we know, and then we know something else. And it's a never ending cycle of knowing without really knowing at all.

A well-known proponent of the "We don't know anything for sure, so in theory, literally anything is possible" argument is Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics

Because when it comes to the great philosophical questions, who better to ask than overpaid basketball players?

asshat · 07-01-2009, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthony

How can we say anything is certain if we don't know everything? In order to really know something for sure, we would have to experience everything that had ever happened or will ever happen. By that logic, we should just give up on scientific study of any kind,

.....If we knew everything what point would there be in scientific study. Jump off of a really tall building then tell me how little we know. You should read some hume.

06-30-2009, 09:44 AM	#1 (permalink)
Anthony Groupie Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 34	Knowing time for some philosophy 101, muthas Isn't everything inherently unknowable due to the subjectivity of human experience? And, if that's true, doesn't it follow that literally anything is possible? I understand that hamburgers don't eat people and that the sky is, in fact, blue. But I also find a lot to like in the idea that we, as a human race, know literally nothing. That, for all we know, the immutable laws of physics aren't all that immutable. How can we say anything is certain if we don't know everything? In order to really know something for sure, we would have to experience everything that had ever happened or will ever happen. By that logic, we should just give up on scientific study of any kind, as we'll never be able to reach a true scientific conclusion because we only truly know what is presented to us. Not only can you not disprove a negative, you can't prove a positive. You can't prove anything. Literally everything we say we know right now could just as easily be disproven in a second with one abnormality or anomaly. So we don't really "know" - We just know until we're given evidence to contradict what we know, and then we know something else. And it's a never ending cycle of knowing without really knowing at all. A well-known proponent of the "We don't know anything for sure, so in theory, literally anything is possible" argument is Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics

07-01-2009, 01:14 AM	#2 (permalink)
Darkest Hour Music Addict Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 764	how do we even know anything outside of our minds exist? Everything we see doesn;t have to be real does it? Kind of like a dream, we see it, but it's not real. __________________

07-01-2009, 03:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
Inuzuka Skysword Existential Egoist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,468	This is the kind of bull**** philosophy that you get over when you realize that you have a life to live and an existence to maximize.