Poll: but, I KNOW the earth is flat!

[Ameatypie]

Being an epistemology (a branch of philosophy) student, I naturally ask questions. The main question, the main focus of the course is around "how do we KNOW what we know?". Here is a little background knowledge to help you out when it comes to answering this...

Plato, an ancient philosopher, defined knowledge as a "justified true belief." This is the definition of knowledge that is commonly accepted as THE definition of knowledge by almost all philosophers today. You must recognize knowledge as something that is a) specific to individuals, and b) attached to emotion. Back in the day, people KNEW that the earth was flat because it was justified (they could see!), true to individuals, and people believed it. They KNEW, this was their knowledge. The reason there cannot be knowledge without emotion is because believing something requires emotion as a backing force.

Anyways, the question! Do we REALLY know what we know? How can you be certain that, say, you are reading this? What is telling you that you are reading this? How do you know your computer is the color that it is? How do you know who your mother is? How do you know that you look as you do? How do you know the earth is round?

I have formulated my own answer to this and will update here soon, so keep checking back!

 

[Dragon_of_red]

/head explodes...

Stop watching the Matrix dude, that could help with all this head explodyness...

I thijnk that everything we see is as it is, i mean why not? its easier to think that than go for a whole lotta confusing question that make peoples brain hurt.

 

[Erana]

You've phrased this well, but people just get all angry with me for going, "prove to me that the Earth is round.
The science you're using is just evidence suggesting something. I have plenty of evidence about its flatness all around!"
with the conversation going on and on.

Reality is all in our heads; I don't know if any of it is real or not, but I just roll with it.
This is where existentialism comes in.

 

[Ameatypie]

Goddammit, junior here has discovered radical skepticism.

O whaaaaaaa?

You've phrased this well, but people just get all angry with me for going, "prove to me that the Earth is round."
Reality is all in our heads; I don't know if any of it is real or not, but I just roll with it.

O lolz. Real.... specific to the person?

 

[Omikron009]

I can't tell you how much I hate philosophical, existential, "prove you exist" "what do we know" discussion. It just bothers me.

 

[ottenni]

Just check Wikipedia man. That shit knows everything.

 

[Insanum]

*sigh*

I hate philosohy. In my opinion its a complete waste of time.

"If a tree falls and no-one is around to hear it, Does it make a sound?"
"Look geoff, You can ask this question as many times over as you want, it wont pay the rent. Go get a job"

----

At the end of the day, Nasa have been up into space, The world is Round. Other planets are round.

Better question to ask:

Why do people with too much time on their hands ask pointless questions, Instead of the questions that need[/I] to be asked.

 

[w@rew0lf]

Well if we know that we don't know but we know that we can't know anything. Then what do we really know? Nothing? Or everything?

 

[OmegaXzors]

There is one question with an undeniable answer: religion is false when it comes to Science.

EDIT: Please don't quote me with the sole purpose of "no."

 

[-Drifter-]

I've always held true to the notion that we can't really know anything.

 

[ethaninja]

I tend to avoid situations like this in order to prevent confusion. Theres the Earth. The Earth is round. We are on it. Billions of years later, bye bye Earthypants.

 

[ethaninja]

There is one question with an undeniable answer: religion is false.

Hehe that comment is going to cost ya But true... very true.

 

[-Drifter-]

There is one question with an undeniable answer: religion is false.

Let's not do this.

 

[Tharwen]

In this situation, you try to find an argument and fail. That is because of the huge amount of undefined fact required to work this sort of thing out. This undefinition is caused by the fact that nothing really exists. You may understand that, but probably not at first glance.

 

[Sleekgiant]

Well seeing as to how we prove things with
[HEADING=1]SCIENCE[/HEADING]
you're skepticism shall not be tolerated

 

[HontooNoNeko]

Being an epistemology (a branch of philosophy) student, I naturally ask questions. The main question, the main focus of the course is around "how do we KNOW what we know?". Here is a little background knowledge to help you out when it comes to answering this...

Plato, an ancient philosopher, defined knowledge as a "justified true belief." This is the definition of knowledge that is commonly accepted as THE definition of knowledge by almost all philosophers today. You must recognize knowledge as something that is a) specific to individuals, and b) attached to emotion. Back in the day, people KNEW that the earth was flat because it was justified (they could see!), true to individuals, and people believed it. They KNEW, this was their knowledge. The reason there cannot be knowledge without emotion is because believing something requires emotion as a backing force.

Anyways, the question! Do we REALLY know what we know? How can you be certain that, say, you are reading this? What is telling you that you are reading this? How do you know your computer is the color that it is? How do you know who your mother is? How do you know that you look as you do? How do you know the earth is round?

I have formulated my own answer to this and will update here soon, so keep checking back!

A valid point but it works both ways. How do we know we don't know everything? If no one else knows something who is to say there is anything else to know? So we could know nothing but if we know nothing there is no proof that there is anything to know, thus we know everything.

The existence of a object or event is only proven when another can see, feel, smell, taste, or comprehend an object or event. Thus without someone saying you know nothing there is no proof that you doesn't know everything. Yup that's right you all know everything until someone proves otherwise.

I'll stick with knowing a little that way I always have something to look forward to.

 

[Sleekgiant]

There is one question with an undeniable answer: religion is false when it comes to Science.

Please take your flame war starting posts to Religion and Politics

 

[Ameatypie]

I've always held true to the notion that we can't really know anything.

Yeah. Thats kinda my view as well..... How do we know what we know? we don't