Smoggie
Well-Known Member
It was you constantly saying for others to "prove it with evidence" that brought the point I was trying to make out. At some point you must show others respect for their ideas if you expect the same in return. To me constantly asking for that proof meant you didn't show the respect to the other peoples opinions when you also were unable to provide any proof yourself.
I guess we need to agree to differ on that point. Like I said in the last post it's an accepted principle that the responsibility to provide proof sits with the person who comes up with the theory. This is accepted without question in law ('innocent until proven guilty') but for some reason people struggle with the same concept when applied to science or other aspects of life..
The 'Russel's Teapot' analogy sums it up. The philosopher Bertrand Russell in attempting to illustrate the fallacy of switching the burden of proof to 'disproof' wrote:
“If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense.
BTW.. I'm also not offended by any of this, and of course I respect the right of anyone to have an opinion, just as it's my right to be sceptical if they cant offer any proof to support it.
PS.. sorry for taking the thread further off topic and into philosophical discussion!
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