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What do you believe is true, but cannot prove?

 
 
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 04:39 am
The Edge wrote:
"WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS TRUE EVEN THOUGH YOU CANNOT PROVE IT?"

Great minds can sometimes guess the truth before they have either the evidence or arguments for it (Diderot called it having the "esprit de divination"). What do you believe is true even though you cannot prove it?


This question was asked of "Great Minds" and some of their answers can be found in this link: http://www.edge.org/q2005/q05_2.html. It makes for some very interesting reading.

But I thought it might be fun to ask the minds of A2K the same question...
 
rosborne979
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 04:46 am
@rosborne979,
I believe but cannot prove, that the Inertia of an object results from the resistance by space-time to asymmetrical distortions of the gravitational field. One implication of this is that space-time would have an inherent "elastic" quality to it.
rosborne979
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 05:07 am
@rosborne979,
Another interesting list: http://www.edge.org/responses/what-is-your-favorite-deep-elegant-or-beautiful-explanation
0 Replies
 
Setanta
 
  3  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 09:23 am
You may get people trying to bullsh*t you that they don't believe anything without evidence or that they "don't do belief." Don't you listen to that. There are things we may believe which cannot be proven, but about which we don't care that it can't be proven. Then there are things which we believe for what we consider to be good reason, but which are entirely subjective in nature.

I believe that Hayley Westenra is a natural talent of a kind which only comes along once in a great while, perhaps a thousand years. She has just celebrated her 26th birthday a week ago. She sang this when she was 15 years old:

Lordyaswas
 
  3  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 09:31 am
I sincerely believe, but cannot prove, that Vegemite comes direct from the devil's bottom after a heavy night on the ale.
Setanta
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 09:37 am
@Lordyaswas,
I believe ! ! !
0 Replies
 
Foofie
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 09:39 am
I believe, but cannot prove, that a light ray transcends time. Meaning that if one was riding on a light ray, there would be no time.

0 Replies
 
rosborne979
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 09:40 am
@Setanta,
She sings beautifully.
0 Replies
 
igm
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 10:09 am
@rosborne979,
On Scientific progress, some might say there is no such thing as progress because for every benefit there is 'at least' one drawback and future hindsight alone will show how many and how damaging those drawbacks are.... alas too late!
igm
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 10:20 am
@rosborne979,
That the USA is harmed far more by the 'right to keep and bear arms' in the form of assault rifles than the protection afforded by them... It makes those who lobby for them seem uncivilized and in the eyes of the world it makes the USA less civilized because of it.
tomr
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 11:53 am
I believe but cannot prove that quarks and Higg's bosons are fake things that were imagined to gain access to noble prize monies.
Fil Albuquerque
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 12:10 pm
@tomr,
I don't believe you... Wink
0 Replies
 
Fil Albuquerque
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 12:17 pm
@igm,
Quote:
On Scientific progress, some might say there is no such thing as progress because for every benefit there is 'at least' one drawback and future hindsight alone will show how many and how damaging those drawbacks are.... alas too late!


That mistakenly could be instantiated as a principle of conservation of complexity...
One has to wonder what would be done of the 2 law of thermodynamics which says the opposite...
Perhaps it is the case that civilization although progressing stumps upon more problems then those it can resolve and there, you have the explanation on why it seams as if we don't really progress or even recede all the while also increasing our explanatory power by comparison with the past...
0 Replies
 
cicerone imposter
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 12:32 pm
@rosborne979,
I believe but cannot prove that "love is blind."
Fil Albuquerque
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 01:16 pm
@cicerone imposter,
cicerone imposter wrote:

I believe but cannot prove that "love is blind."


If you reason that smell can see, then perhaps not... Wink
0 Replies
 
igm
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 01:33 pm
@rosborne979,
Meditation give rise to insights that can change a life for the better but most aren't interested, don't believe in it and don't care to try it out. A life without meditation is like...

... there's no point in saying any more.
0 Replies
 
Frank Apisa
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 02:00 pm
@rosborne979,
Some of the people giving you responses here are just selling their particular brand of anger and lack of self-control. Laugh at them...they are funny people.

Anyhow...I do not do "believing."

I make some guesses from time to time...but the reason I am making guesses is that I cannot prove whatever it is that I am guessing about. If I could prove it, I wouldn't need to be guessing.

And when I am guessing...I call it a guess rather than try to disguise the fact that I am guessing by calling my guessing...believing.
Frank Apisa
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 02:03 pm
@rosborne979,
By the way...if anyone tells you that people who do not do believing are bullshitting you, don't listen to them. They are trying to bullshit you.

Fil Albuquerque
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 02:04 pm
@Frank Apisa,
No bullshit ?... Wink
Fil Albuquerque
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Apr, 2013 02:07 pm
@Frank Apisa,
Lets be honest Frank I am sure you know belief drives action...what would be the purpose of getting up in the morning if you didn't believe without certainty that life will keep being worthwhile...
 

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