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Black Cats

Speed of Light

Critical Thinker
S
Joined
Sep 23, 2006
Messages
310
Hi
A few days ago, as I was waiting for a friend, a black cat crossed the road, in the direction of where we were heading.
I was happy about this -
But then, for some reason, the cat decided to cross the road back again.endong up where it was originally.
I would be grateful to know your expert assessment on this.
Is it still lucky? or because the cat crossed back again, does this cancel out the good luck?

Thankyou in anticipation
 
Black cats are neither lucky nor unlucky, therefore, one crossing your path is neither lucky nor unlucky. It just is.
 
I have two black cats, Merry and Pippin. Their bad luck force fields cancel each other out. It's very scientific, you see.
 
Cello Man said:
I have two black cats, Merry and Pippin. Their bad luck force fields cancel each other out. It's very scientific, you see.
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Ah yes! That's an interesting scientific idea CM.
It would be interesting (scientifically) to theorise if you got another cat, what would be the nature of the new resultant force field.
 
Getting both a black cat and a white cat helps a bit with the luck factor. The whiteness neutralizes the blackness by 50%, so the resulting "gray" bad luck is only half as bad as it otherwise would have been.

Not as good as having two black cats and the consequent "cancelling out" effect, but worth remembering nonetheless.
 
Lisa Simpson said:
Black cats are neither lucky nor unlucky, therefore, one crossing your path is neither lucky nor unlucky. It just is.
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I must apologise, but I'm very skeptical of the reality of your neutral stance.
Do you have any scientific proof to back up your unusual idea?

We skeptics always say that if you have an extraordinary claim, then you must provide extraordinary proof - So saying that black cats are neither lucky nor unlucky, if you cannot back up your idea, must therefore be regarded as unsubstantiated Woo, I'm afraid
 
Speed of Light said:
I must apologise, but I'm very skeptical of the reality of your neutral stance.
Do you have any scientific proof to back up your unusual idea?

We skeptics always say that if you have an extraordinary claim, then you must provide extraordinary proof - So saying that black cats are neither lucky nor unlucky, if you cannot back up your idea, must therefore be regarded as unsubstantiated Woo, I'm afraid
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Being a skeptic, you should know an extraordinary claim when you see one. "Black cats are neither lucky nor unlucky" is not one.


John_Geeshu said:
I thought a black cat crossing your path was supposed to be an ill omen.
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Believing that a black cat crossing your path is an ill omen is an ill omen.
 
Speed of Light

1. You aren't a skeptic.
2. Get real.
3. Shed your superstitions.
4. Boring OP.
 
My Mother believes in this particular superstition and it seems impossible to shake her belief.

Black cats have no effect on luck. Its all nonsense.
 
Last summer I got a black cat called Daisy from Cats Protection, an British charity that re-homes unwanted pets. The people there told me that black cats are the most difficult to re-home because many people think they're unlucky. I haven't been dogged (ooh, a pun!) by bad luck but Daisy has been ill with pneumonia, which resulted in a rather alarming bill from the vet.

So I suppose it was lucky that I had her insured.
 
Tumblehome said:
Being a skeptic, you should know an extraordinary claim when you see one. "Black cats are neither lucky nor unlucky" is not one.
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Hi
'Extraordinary' has evolved from 'extra - ordinary'.
'Extra' means 'outside'.
So 'Extraordinary' means 'Outside of the ordinary'.
An 'ordinary' point of view, is what is generally accepted, and held to be true by the majority, so it follows that an extraordinary claim would be that which is outside of the ordinary - in other words, a minority viewpoint.

The other point you made about the word 'skeptic'.
'Skeptic' is a word which refers to the way in which someone thinks. The word 'skeptic' does not imply what the person is skeptical of, and so its meaning does not by definition, correlate with any particular point of view
 
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I feel obligated to say something... but it seems the thread is going nowhere unless the OP wants to come back and troll some more.
 
Lisa Simpson said:
Black cats are neither lucky nor unlucky, therefore, one crossing your path is neither lucky nor unlucky. It just is.
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To dogmatically state a fact without proof, is not the scientifically skeptical way of doing things, especially when it goes against the generally accepted view. I do not know of any definitive tests on this matter.
It is true that we generally use our 'common sense' or 'feelings' to decide what we believe in, (or don't believe in), but, as discussed in another thread on Quantum Mechanics and Relativity, common sense is not always a good guide, and most people judge things on their feelings.

But we skeptics know better than to do that - Don't we?
Everyone's feelings lead to different conclusions, and are far too subjective - which is why we need definitive scientific proof before adopting a 'dogmatic' stance - especially if it is against the prevailing majority ideas.
 
Speed of Light said:
To dogmatically state a fact without proof, is not the scientifically skeptical way of doing things,
I agree. Please cite your evidence that black cats cause bad luck, then?

especially when it goes against the generally accepted view.
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The "generally accepted view" has no bearing on the truth or falsity of a given issue; cf. "flat earth", "sun revolves 'round the earth", or any number of previously "generally accepted views".

See also "argumentum ad populum", etc.

(Also, I suspect IHBT, but it's still work remarking on.)
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