What do you believe is true even though you can not prove it?

[Sip]

I don't easily embrace any notion. I need to see substantial evidence combined with a fundamentally sound approach to reasoning in order to "believe" in something.

Therefore, I neither "believe" in God, nor do I "believe" in evolution. I do however think evolution is a lot more plausible than this magical God that someone somewhere happened to say exists and we're just supposed to "believe" purely on faith alone.

[Thai-Samurai]

What are you views, and notions, ideas, opinions, whatever it's called on Enlightenment. I could be talking about the Eastern idea of Enlightenment, but that doesn't matter what do u think? Is there such a "state-of-mind?" Or "ultimate understanding" But don't take my views on it, I wanna hear what yours is.

[Sip]

Enlightenment as in this definition from the dictionary?
18thC rationalistic movement: an 18th-century intellectual movement in western Europe that emphasized reason and science in philosophy and in the study of human culture and the natural world

I don't know much about the details of this movement but sounds to me like a step in the right direction if it relies on reason and science to arrive at conclusions about the world.

[CatWoman]

Evolution can't be supported by evidence?

There is evidence to support evolution, but evolution hasn't yet been "proven" to be the case. I don't think it ever will, same with creation. So it all depends on your personal beliefs. I believe in evolution but one thing I don't understand about it is that if we evolved, we weren't fully grown right? How did a human baby survive all by itself?


One thing however I really want to be true is life after death. It gives meaning to everything, I don't wanna die and have everything end just like that. That's just SAD! It's so exciting to read about near death experiences of people who come close to death, but then they say they're not visions of afterlife and are caused by endorphins or lack of oxygen to the brain. Bummer...

[CatWoman]

I believe in Smokey Bear even though I can't prove him.

In that case... I believe in Santa Claus

[Thai-Samurai]

Enlightenment as in this definition from the dictionary?
18thC rationalistic movement: an 18th-century intellectual movement in western Europe that emphasized reason and science in philosophy and in the study of human culture and the natural world

I don't know much about the details of this movement but sounds to me like a step in the right direction if it relies on reason and science to arrive at conclusions about the world.

That was SO not what I had in mind. You looking it up in the dictionary was the most mindless thing I could've imagined. Enlightenment as in Nirvana or ultimate understanding. Like what is the goal of your life?

Basically what I'm saying here, is what do you think abotu Philosophy? How do you prove philosophy? Is science nothing more than a philosophy? You see there is no exact defenition of anything. If you live your whole life only taking part in what can "be proven w/ reasoning or 'science' " then you're pretty much gonna miss out on anywhere from 25-100% of the possibilities of being alive. And that covers, choices you get to make, emotions you get to feel, people you get to meet, things you get to learn, experiences you get to have and share. Thanks.

[Sip]

That was SO not what I had in mind. You looking it up in the dictionary was the most mindless thing I could've imagined.

I like to know exactly what the topic is before I start to babble. You threw out a term, Capitalized non the less, yet failed to define it. There is an exact definition for that term in the dictionary, this one to be exact: "Encarta® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1999,2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc."

So I went based on that and you are telling ME that was mindless?

Enlightenment as in Nirvana or ultimate understanding. Like what is the goal of your life?

I don't have any good answers on any of those because I don't know what they mean. As far as goal in life, I am in search of one.

Ok, now about this:

Basically what I'm saying here, is what do you think abotu Philosophy? How do you prove philosophy? Is science nothing more than a philosophy? You see there is no exact defenition of anything. If you live your whole life only taking part in what can "be proven w/ reasoning or 'science' " then you're pretty much gonna miss out on anywhere from 25-100% of the possibilities of being alive. And that covers, choices you get to make, emotions you get to feel, people you get to meet, things you get to learn, experiences you get to have and share. Thanks.

I did not say I live my life ONLY through science. However, I am not going to believe in something without enough evidence and there being "reason" to believe in that something.

Does science say why we are alive? Where we came from? Where do we go? No. Do philosophers philosophize on all that? Sure. Do I believe in philosophies? No. Do i find some of them interesting and plausible? Yes.

[Thai-Samurai]

Ok, simply put do u think there is a state of mind, which can be dubbed, "ultimate" or something like that?

[Thai-Samurai]

There is evidence to support evolution, but evolution hasn't yet been "proven" to be the case. I don't think it ever will, same with creation. So it all depends on your personal beliefs. I believe in evolution but one thing I don't understand about it is that if we evolved, we weren't fully grown right? How did a human baby survive all by itself?


One thing however I really want to be true is life after death. It gives meaning to everything, I don't wanna die and have everything end just like that. That's just SAD! It's so exciting to read about near death experiences of people who come close to death, but then they say they're not visions of afterlife and are caused by endorphins or lack of oxygen to the brain. Bummer...

Wait I just realized something after reading that. If someone dies, and then they say they had a near death experience when they'are revived. And the doctors rationalize this by saying it was because there was a lack of oxygen to the brain while they were dead. You come to realize, how can a dead person have a near death experience if there's no oxygen in their brain? It pretty much proves them wrong.

[Siggie]

Wait I just realized something after reading that. If someone dies, and then they say they had a near death experience when they'are revived. And the doctors rationalize this by saying it was because there was a lack of oxygen to the brain while they were dead. You come to realize, how can a dead person have a near death experience if there's no oxygen in their brain? It pretty much proves them wrong.

Near death experiences are caused by a lack of blood to the brain and since blood delivers oxygen, then also oxygen.

I don't understand your logic that it proves them wrong. It's temporary, then if their life is saved, the body isn't in danger, blood circulates normally again, etc.
NDE's can be produced even by putting people in those centrifuge things that they spin pilots in.