Quote:
Originally Posted by Poiuytl
I see. But what are proven facts? Proof is more often than not depending on certain assumptions of causality. To a religious person, the concept of God is even a proven fact. To somebody who is more scientifically biased, science offers proven facts. To a positivist, next to nothing is a proven fact. Even that the sun will rise tomorrow is a mere assumption.
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You are arguing
ad absurdam - no normal person thinks like this in their everyday life, much less someone thinking logically. Even if you take axiomatically the idea that nothing is certain, one can calculate the odds of things being true and use that. The odds of the Sun not rising tomorrow are so small it would be ridiculous to gamble on its failure.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Poiuytl
I guess what I mean that we all argue hypothetically all the time. Maybe the problem you have about other people is precisely that. They argue hypothetically (often believing they have proven facts), you don't. In a way that makes you superior in any given situation. An argument with you can't be won. Many people become aggressive when they sense that their opinions don't hold water.
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You can win any argument with me as long as you have the facts. But odds are I have the facts first, because any gap my mind has
will be exploited by predators. I have a strong incentive to be correct - not being so means someone hospitalizes me. If you lose an argument, you might be embarrassed; if I lose an argument I could be
killed. People do not hold back when they "punish" me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Poiuytl
And actually here I am hypothesizing. I once had a very intelligent, matter-of-fact, perfect wife, and she started abusing me for being so given to speculation. So I am the opposite pole, I guess.
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She should not have abused you. She was wrong to do that.