The fight over Darwin - Teaching evolution in schools

[appolose]

Khuutra said:

appolose said:
@ Everyone calling for a point of "reasonable" assumption,
Sense data can fit any belief about reality; I could interpret this set of sense data, for instance, to be represent a computer, or I could take it to be The Matrix; there is no way to examine other sense data to determine which view is correct, as that sense data could be taken to mean anything as well. The scientific axiom that whatever we observe is real could still quite fit a Matrix view of reality; yes what we sense is a real computer simulation, so to draw the line there is to get you no further.

You can go ahead and assume or presuppose that your view on reality is correct if you'd like, but realize that such a view is on an equal footing with mine.

The idea goes that if we're in the Matrix, we have to assume the Matrix is reality until we are given reason to beelieve otherwise. That's the compromise we make with our senses. If we reject what we sense then we reject all reality, and that is an absurd notion if only bcause reality behaves in such a consistent way. If you don't do a certain st of things, you are going to die. That's real enough for most people.

If you are sure of your own thoughts, you must be sure of an apparatus of your thoughts, must you not? If you think, you musth ave a mind, and from there your mind must be housed in a place.

Reailty cannot be derived form sense data.  I never said we reject what we sense, I said we cannot derive what (if anything) our sense data represents.

An apparatus of thought would have to be assumed.  I can't prove how my thought works in any way.