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SkepticalScience

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So I was debating religion again, and was asked the following question:

"Some things aren't prove-able. . . Prove you love your wife? Or your dead grandma. . . "

How would you all respond to that??

I said something about, the difference between evidence and proof. . .there is plenty of evidence that I love my wife/grandma. . . but no real proof. What *evidence*do you have for God. . .

Something to that effect. . .it kinda worked, but I was wondering if any of you have anything better.

Thanks!
 
SkepticalScience said:
So I was debating religion again, and was asked the following question:

"Some things aren't prove-able. . . Prove you love your wife? Or your dead grandma. . . "

How would you all respond to that??
Click to expand...

1) Leave "proof" out of it. I can provide pretty strong evidence, though, provided you...
2) Define "love"?

I see you have chosen (1). Good start.


I said something about, the difference between evidence and proof. . .there is plenty of evidence that I love my wife/grandma. . . but no real proof. What *evidence*do you have for God. . .

Something to that effect. . .it kinda worked, but I was wondering if any of you have anything better.
Click to expand...

I would also note that the concept of "proof" is a best left to logic and math. In the empirical world, it's an ill-defined concept at best.
 
Surely you know if you love your wife or not. Sure, you may not be able to prove it to another, but the fact that you are feeling it is absolute proof to *you*.

They may try the dodge that they "feel" that God exists, or "feel" the love of God, etc. Of course, all this proves is that the feeling exists, not that the object, God, exists.
 
What does it matter? You either love your wife or you don't. But it's not relevant to the existence of God. Whether you love her a lot, a little, or none at all, her existence does not depend upon your feelings about it. The same is true of beliefs and God. God exists or not independent of what people believe to be the case.
 
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

That's exactly right!

Wow. . .in reading your posts, I realize how much further I need to go to sharpen my skills.

"Of course, all this proves is that the feeling exists, not that the object, God, exists."

Love is a feeling. . .so if I am feeling it, that is all the proof I need. Thanks so much guys!!!!
 
But even given the difference between a feeling and existence, there is still plenty of evidence that you love your wife, as you noted.

If someone could provide half the evidence for the existence of God, it would be a start.
 
SkepticalScience said:
So I was debating religion again, and was asked the following question:

"Some things aren't prove-able. . . Prove you love your wife? Or your dead grandma. . . "

How would you all respond to that??
Thanks!
Click to expand...

I like to say that I can't prove it... but I don't get offended when someone tells me love is all in my head.
 
Kick them in the junk.

Then, when they claim to be in pain, ask them to prove it.
 
SkepticalScience said:
So I was debating religion again, and was asked the following question:

"Some things aren't prove-able. . . Prove you love your wife? Or your dead grandma. . . "

How would you all respond to that??
Click to expand...
I'd say that I have enough evidence that I love them, and proof is only for math and liquor.
 
Wow, this has cut to the chase of many an argument on this forum. There are a category of behaviors that some refer to a private, you will find others who refer to these events as irreducable.

Due to the private nature of emotion, it can be difficult to 'prove' that you experience an emotion. Which gets into the observation of behaviors leading to the deduction of an internal state. This has cut to the crux of the 'Emergence of Mind' thread in a very short time period.
 
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