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Question: Discussion: how to define fact !?
i have this ongoing discussion with my philosophy teacher, he is talking about how big bang and evolution is a fact, and i say that fact is something that is non-existant, cause you can never prove anything 100%, and as far as i know it a fact is defined as something that cannot be proven false!. He comes back saying that i′m so sceptical and christian etc!. i don′t care about all that, but all i reply is (yes i′m christian, only casualy) Christianity is as much of a fact as the big bang and evolution is!. None will nor will be proven 100%!.!.!.
Is it something that i′m missing here, or is there a better way of defining it which means the same as what i′ve just described it!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I agree with you, to me, facts don't exist either!.
I can say, 1+1=2!. Is that really a fact!?
If we take facts to be a theory that everyone (in the world) can agree on, then there is no such thing as a fact!. Because someone who has a mental illness, can say, 1+1=11, and it would be their way of thinking, so I can't exactly tell them their thinking is wrong!. We don't all have the same opinions, I can say, the big bang was real, but I that isn't a fact!. Although science cannot disprove it, other people have different opinions!.
If you tell a blind person colours exist, well they've never seen colour, so you just told them a lie because they do not believe in colour!. So even if you go back in time and see the big bang, how do you prove it!? How can you convince other people you are right, that it's real and not just another opinion!? Even if you can prove it, people don't have to believe in your proof!.
They say math cannot be wrong, that it's the purest any problem can go!. Well what if someone doesn't believe math to be true!? Someone who simply decided to themselves that math and science are wrong!? Can we really tell that person they are wrong when it is their own opinion that they believe!?
But if you look at facts as something that has been proven (through math or science) to be correct, or that one has seen with their own eyes, then facts would exist!. Of course this kind of 'fact' would simply require the majority of the world to agree, so there can still be disagreements!.
So in the end it's how you look at what a fact is, because if you're fine with the idea of some disagreements about facts, then facts are real!. If you believe a fact is only true when EVERYONE agrees, then facts will never exist because it is in human nature to disagree!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
you're right there's no absolute facts but there's a whole lot of difference between religious myths including christianity and observation based THEORIES like evolution and the big bang!. one has its foundation in faith (away from tangible experience), the other in consistently validated observations in the real world!. there are degrees of truth, if you will, and science is generally closer to it than religion!. that doesn't mean religion isn't a fact either, its just that we can't yet prove it to the level that we can evolution et alWww@QuestionHome@Com
Yes, you sure are!. How can someone who is so adamant about the inability of the mind to attain certainty -- be so certain!. It's self-contradictory!. Fact (in its original use)is what is presented to the judgement!. And judgement (true/false) is the verdict of the mind on the existence of what is presented to it!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
supposedly, the hubble telescope can prove the big bang!. there is no actual proof that god said "let there be light!."
what might really blow your mind tho!.!.!. what if god said "let there be light", and then the big bang happened!. :)Www@QuestionHome@Com
a fact is something that you can prove, if your teacher can go back in time and watch the big bang happen for real then it can be a fact
first hand witnessWww@QuestionHome@Com
If as you say, 'nothing can be proven 100%' then there is no such thing as 'fact'!. Why are you trying to define something which does not exist!?Www@QuestionHome@Com