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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 8:44:59 PM   
popeye1250


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Aileen1968

You really are a sad, sick man.


Aileen, tell him Abraham Lincoln is behind him with an ax! lol

Ok, all you trouble makers gtf out of here and go play with some lawn darts.


< Message edited by popeye1250 -- 11/14/2011 8:46:43 PM >


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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 8:47:03 PM   
SweetCheri


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quote:

You want to say how flawed my thoughts are then please step up to the plate and actually swing the bat.
I am not so shy as Heather in this regard, so I will happily step up to the plate.

First, your entire argument is itself one big fallacy, it is an argumentum ad ignorantiam. The lack of proof that ghosts do not exist, is not adequate proof that they do, nor can one infer anything other than that there is no proof from it.


Second, when you say this: "You are asking people to prove the scientifically unexplanable, when they have done so by simply saying it is so." you are being absurd. You are saying that people have proved the existence of ghosts merely by stating that they exist. Very well, if I state that winged elephants exist, are you obliged to admit that they do? By your reasoning you must, so clearly your reasoning is flawed, a person stating something exists is not adequate proof that it does exist, at best it can be considered proof of the belief that something exists.

Third, when you state that "People have proven they exist, they have experienced it. " you are again being absurd. All that these people have proved is that they have perceived certain things. The validity of these perceptions has not yet been established, it has been postulated that they might be hallucinations, which by their very nature would be indistinguishable from reality. Thus the experiences of the people who have related them on this thread may be real, or they may not be. Even if they are true perceptions, it does not prove anything other than that it was experienced. These people have attributed these experiences to ghosts, and from that they have inferred the existence of ghosts. On the surface this seems to be a logical conclusion, but it is in fact not, since there exists no proof or evidence that these experiences actually were caused by ghosts, only the opinion of the people who experienced them that they are. Opinions are not a valid proof, nor are they a valid basis for a logical inference.

Fourth, when you say "They are proven because people have experienced them and identified them.  Therefore, the possibility exists" You have made yet another fundamental error, not only in your supposition that something has been proved (see the preceding section), but also in your conclusion. Even if your supposition were correct, you would still be incorrect in inferring that the possibility of ghosts existing is proven by it. The opinion that something exists does not create the possibility that it does. If I am of the opinion that Lyonesse exists hidden in a fog bank off the coast of Brittany. This does not create the possibility that it is so, it only creates the opinion that it is so.

And finally, when you say "Now it's up to you since you are stating the absolute of they do not exist to prove they are wrong in what they are identifying as ghosts and spirits." you are again incorrect. The burden of proof lies with the one making the assertion, Heather is not making an assertion, she is denying one. The assertion here is that ghosts exist, so the burden of proof is on those who believe that they do, not on the skeptics.

There you are, I stepped up, I have swung, and I have connected. Now lets see if you can field it.

Oh, and just for your information, I do believe in ghosts, but that doesn't altar the fact that your reasoning and the argument based on it are fatally flawed.

CG.



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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 9:41:24 PM   
gungadin09


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quote:

ORIGINAL: SweetCheri
The burden of proof lies with the one making the assertion, Heather is not making an assertion, she is denying one. The assertion here is that ghosts exist, so the burden of proof is on those who believe that they do, not on the skeptics.


i gotta go against you here, Cheri. i see them both making assertions. Angel, along with a number of other people, has asserted that ghosts do exist. Heather, along with a number of other people, has asserted that they do not. Both of those are assertions, and the person who made either of them, or, in fact, the person who makes ANY claim whatsoever in any argument whatsoever, ought to be prepared to defend their claim. i see no reason why Angel's claims should be subject to scrutiny, but Heathers should taken as truth. Heather bears just as much burden for backing up her own assertions.

pam

< Message edited by gungadin09 -- 11/14/2011 9:42:58 PM >


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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 10:05:14 PM   
SweetCheri


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Because in this situation there is no empirical evidence that ghosts exist, therefore the default assumption is that they do not. Given that, the assertion must be that they do. Stating the default position is not making an assertion.


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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 10:07:26 PM   
LafayetteLady


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This is nothing more than the oldest philosphy question twisted for a new subject (or is it).

Neither side can prove definitively that the either is wrong, at this point. Those that have not experienced a ghost are less likely to believe.

The fallacy is the "no they don't" crowd is not simply stating they don't believe (which would be fine), but rather are, as usual for that group, resorting to the concept that all those who DO believe are all hallucinating, indicating that either we are on psychotropics that can cause such problems or suffer a psychological mental illness that causes it.

Because it isn't possible that they can simply say they don't believe and disagree, they must state, unequivalently that their facts are the only facts possible. That's the fallacy.

If you believe you have seen a ghost and it wasn't after eating the worm at the bottom your tequila bottle, then your belief is your belief.

Because it is a set up. These are not really scientific questions, but philosophical questions relating to questions that can't be answered. Negating philosophy as a science, negates that philosphy brought about science. Hypothesis derived from philosophical questions.

I guess next we will negate that the philosophers existed. I admit they weren't doing a whole lot of work, just sitting around tossing about a bunch of questions and then arguing them, but they tended to toss the difficult questions. If there are spirits, they God is not likely far behind. For the agnostics, that may be ok. For the atheists it flies in the face of everything they believe and puts lots of little pin holes in it, weakening their whole premise.

Around here, Pam, haven't you figured out, there are a few groups and individuals who only deal in absolutes because they have not learned that nothing in life is an absolute. Life is quite abstract and ever changing. At least it is for those who have a desire to learn and aren't sure they have learned all there is to know and are now designated by someone (who?) to spread the word.

If the theists here preached about God's existence as much as the atheists preached (and yes it is preaching) that there is no God, it wouldn't fly. Yet, the atheists, who know everything, feel that they can preach because they are right and have all the answers. Honestly, I'm finding it quite ridiculous.

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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 10:27:42 PM   
gungadin09


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quote:

ORIGINAL: SweetCheri
Because in this situation there is no empirical evidence that ghosts exist, therefore the default assumption is that they do not.


But there IS empirical evidence. There is the eyewitness account of every single, last person who claims to have seen a ghost.

ETA: But actually, it doesn't matter. This is not a formal debate. There is no proposition. The title of the thread is NOT "Ghosts do not exist." There is no default position here. Anybody who argues bears the burden of proving their own arguement. And even if it WERE a formal debate, having the default position would NOT mean that a person was NOT responsible for coming forward with evidence to support their point. It would merely mean that if the evidence for both claims were exactly equal, the tie would go to the default position.

pam

< Message edited by gungadin09 -- 11/14/2011 11:02:07 PM >


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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 10:57:34 PM   
SweetCheri


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quote:

If the theists here preached about God's existence as much as the atheists preached (and yes it is preaching) that there is no God, it wouldn't fly. Yet, the atheists, who know everything, feel that they can preach because they are right and have all the answers.
If I recall correctly, you are the only person to have mentioned God on this thread. So tell me, who are the atheists posting on this thread? Who has preached that there is no God on this thread? And if they are not posting and/or preaching on this thread, how is any of that relevant?




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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 11:02:26 PM   
SweetCheri


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quote:

There is the eyewitness account of every single, last person who claims to have seen a ghost.
That is unverifiable anecdotal evidence. Again, let me stress that I do believe in ghosts and spirits, but if there is to be an attempt to prove anything, then it is on my side to do so.


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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 11:15:00 PM   
Iamsemisweet


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I saw what I saw, and I am not seeking converts.  Therefore, I don't believe I have to prove anything.  I believe ghosts exist.  I really don't give a fuck what anyone else thinks on the subject.

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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 11:19:33 PM   
gungadin09


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quote:

ORIGINAL: SweetCheri
Again, let me stress that I do believe in ghosts and spirits, but if there is to be an attempt to prove anything, then it is on my side to do so.[/color]


Let me stress: That is patently untrue, says my dad, the lawyer.

pam

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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 11:22:14 PM   
SweetCheri


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I said IF there is to be an attempt to prove anything.

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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 11:23:45 PM   
MistressSnow


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Could it be a subjective sort of thing? Those who believe see the ghosts and those who do not, don't? I suppose nothing could ever be that zen-fully simple.

{I really like this thread}

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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 11:26:17 PM   
gungadin09


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quote:

ORIGINAL: SweetCheri

I said IF there is to be an attempt to prove anything.


The statement "If there is to be an attempt to prove anything, then it is on my [the ghost believer's] side to do so."

...Is patently false according to my dad, the lawyer. A brief explanation of the reasons for this was given in post #228.

pam

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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/14/2011 11:29:17 PM   
SweetCheri


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quote:

Let me stress: That is patently untrue, says my dad, the lawyer.
That's odd, because in law the burden of proof is on the one who says something is or did happen, not on the one who says it didn't. Semper necessitas probandi incumbit ei qui agit.

Anyway, be that as it may, I still feel that if I were to engage in such a debate, it would be upon me to prove the existence of ghosts. If you feel otherwise, I have no problem with that, we disagree, and since nobody is debating the existence or lack thereof, its really not at all relevant.


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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/15/2011 12:16:54 AM   
gungadin09


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quote:

ORIGINAL: SweetCheri
...in law the burden of proof is on the one who says something is or did happen, not on the one who says it didn't.


In court (at least here in the U.S.) the fact that the prosecution has the burden of proof does not mean that the defense doesn't ALSO have to present evidence to support their case. It does not mean that everything THEY say is taken for granted as true without them having to prove it. It simply means that, if the body of evidence were equal on both sides, and each side had been exactly as persuasive as the other, that the benefit of the doubt, and the tie, would go to the defendant. And that's in court, where there IS a default position, which is not the case here.

If you, or Heather, believe that she can come onto these forums, take up a position, make a series of unfounded claims, insult everyone who doesn't think as she does, dismiss every opposing argument that is not accompanied by verifiable scientific data as "baseless supposition, speculation, opinion, and navel gazing" and THEN turn around and claim that she's above bringing forward any evidence to support her own argument, that she does not have the burden of proving her claims, and that others must be content to simply answer HER attacks on THEIRS...then i must say, that is the most arrogant thing i've ever heard in my life. And even more so considering the fact that i've just given such a compelling reason to believe that it's not true.

i am beginning to wonder if there's any argument i could make, no matter how compelling, that you would be willing to accept as truth if it disagreed with your own established views.

pam





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RE: Do ghosts exist? - 11/15/2011 1:22:02 AM   
VideoAdminDelta


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quote:

ORIGINAL: VideoAdminAlpha

Fast Reply:

Back on topic please instead of degenerating into a name calling fest.

Since this didn't happen after Alpha made this comment, I am closing the thread.

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