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...this is a branch off of CuteSparklezGirl's 'Is there a spiritual world?' topic...please feel free 2 tell your experiences and thoughts...no teasing or arguing please...

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...I thought this topic was gone...as 4 the definition of 'mythical' mine is: something that has no solid proof so the majority of the world refuses 2 believe [or admit the believe] in it...as 4 the 'open mindedness' absense of proof is not proof of absense...and you can quote me on that...

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Absence of belief does not require proof of absence.

There seems to be a general mix-up with 'proof' and 'evidence'. Contrary to misguided belief, they are not the same thing. The only real proofs are mathematical ones, anyway. In math, after the system has been formed, deductive reasoning (rather than inductive or empirical) is applied to accepted premises, and a conclusion can be formed. A deductive argument is always either true or false, and its conclusion is always a bi-conditional statement. If all premises of a deductive argument are true, then the conclusion will be true as well. But for the deductive argument to be valid, all conclusion must be necessarily true. Here are three examples of deductive arguments.

1. A quadrilateral has four sides. (True)

2. A square has four sides. (True)

3. Therefore, a square is a quadrilateral. (True)

In bi-conditional form: A square is a quadrilateral if and only if it has four sides. (If I recall correctly, for a bi-conditional to be true, the inverse, converse, and contrapostive of the bi-conditional must be true as well.)

1. Sarah is a girl. (True)

2. All girls like boys. (False)

3. Sarah likes boys. (False)

Though it is possible for Sarah to still like boys, it isn't necessarily true, and therefore this is a fallacious argument.

1. All men have moobs. (False)

2. All people with extra chest blubber wear bras. (False)

3. All men wear bras. (False)

I'm sure you can see the problem with this one for yourself.

An example of a mathematical proof would be one of the many out there for the Pythagorean Theorem. Here's one we had to prove in math yesterday. From my book:

James Abram Garfield, the twentieth president of the United States, discovered a proof of the Pythagoren Theorem in 1876. His proof involved the fact that a trapezoid can be formed from two congruent right triangles and an isosceles right triangle. Use the diagram at the right to write a paragraph proof showing that a2 + b2 = c2.

image5.gif

What I did was set up the area of the trapezoid using 1/2h(b1 + b2) equal to the area of the three triangles added together. Basically:

1/2(a+b)(a+b) = 1/2ab + 1/2c2 + 1/2ab (Substitution)

1/2(a2 + 2ab + b2) = ab + 1/2c2 (Simplify)

a2 + 2ab + b2 = 2ab + c2 (Multiply both sides by 2)

a2 + b2 = c2 (Subtract 2ab from both sides)

That's a proof. Evidence for the Pythagorean Theorem would be pointing out that with all the variations you've tried with angle measures and side lengths of a right triangle, you always seem to get a2 + b2 = c2. Clearly you haven't tried every combination, and though evidence is helpful, it isn't in upon itself proof.

I'm not asking for proof of mythological creatures, but some evidence (your word, I'm sorry, means nothing to me) would be much appreciated. I mean, if you don't have any evidence, why should I give your (extraordinary) claim any more credence than I would any other random assertion? I was going to use magic, extraordinary healing, and astrology as examples of 'random assertions', but I forgot you probably believe in them too...

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...I'm not asking for proof of mythological creatures, but some evidence (your word, I'm sorry, means nothing to me) would be much appreciated. I mean, if you don't have any evidence, why should I give your (extraordinary) claim any more credence than I would any other random assertion? I was going to use magic, extraordinary healing, and astrology as examples of 'random assertions', but I forgot you probably believe in them too...

...U don't have 2 rude about it...the only 'proof' I have is what I have seen and xperienced...I am sorry U have not had these xperiences 2...and yes I do believe in magic and astrology...but xtraordinary healing is 1 4 the christians, which I am not...

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Again, that is a form of evidence*, not a proof. I just went over that.

*Not all evidence is real evidence, of course. But regardless, personal experiences are evidence, not proofs.

...that's all the 'proof' I have...

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IT'S NOT PROOF, IT'S EVIDENCE. In all fairness, even you should be able to understand a concept on this level.

...that's as close 2 your 'proof' as I can come...it's something U have 2 xperience 2 believe...

[edit]...did you not notice the quote marks...

Edited by Atlantis
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Instead of religion or math, I wanted to stay with the OP.

Now this here is something to think about. I believe 50% that it exists or did.

chupacabra.jpgThe chupacabra ("goat sucker") is an animal said to be unknown to science and systemically killing :o

...hey!...how'd you get a picture of my sister?...

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...that's as close 2 your 'proof' as I can come...it's something U have 2 xperience 2 believe...

[edit]...did you not notice the quote marks...

Yeah, I noticed the emphasis, but all that shows is that you're still either too ignorant to understand there's a significant difference between proof and evidence (they're not synonyms, for the final time), or you're mocking me, and failing to amuse me, yet alone make a point. I mean, what were you trying to imply, anyway? Seems a bit like you're suggesting the proof of the Pythagorean Theorem I posted isn't a real proof? If so.. "...".

"...that's all the 'proof' I have..." sounds like you yourself don't believe in the quality of your evidence. "..It's not real proof, but it's all I have...It's not my fault you can't see ghosts/fairies/blah for yourself...It's proof because I can see it, honestly.."

Anyway, my friend said to post the wub smiley after this so you don't hate me. I'm meh on the idea, but yeah.. :wub:

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...I wuz saying that it is something that is hard 2 prove 2 someone who has not xperienced it themselves...I could show U a pic of them [if I could get them 2 hold still] but U would just say that I had faked the pic...there is no concrete proof because all the 'proof' ppl have provided has been accused of being fake...unfortunatly a lot of it was ppl just trying 2 become famous...there are only 3 ppl in the wold that I can honestly say I hate and you are not one of them[:angry: unless your name is Erin , Patrick, or Ronald :mad: ]...

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on a somewhat random note do you think playing music will attract fairies and what not?

if so what type of music? self played or on cd?

...my friend Sami has found that flute music [recorded or live] tends 2 bring out faries...I have also heard that earth faries and elves are quite partial 2 the pan flute...since I cannot play 2 save my life :huh: I have never tried this...I personally listen 2 country and Phynix has yet 2 complain...

[edit]...they also enjoy the harp...

Edited by Atlantis
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i didnt have enough time to read all the posts, but about the fairy thing.....

yes ive seen faires you know what i call them? Angels

i do believe in dragons though :)

Edited by dath244
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Oh, Atlantis, you said something about pictures? Well, get them to hold still, take a snap shot.. There are ways of finding out whether photos are photoshopped or not..

...I told you...they won't allow anyone to get a good shot of them because it has caused people to try to hunt them in the past...it's that way with all 'mythical' creatures...that's why the majority of the population does not believe in them...I'm sure you have noticed the frenzy that occurs when someone gets a semi-good picture of bigfoot or the loch ness monster...

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I hang with Sasquatch all the time - he is pretty anti-photogenic as you say, but just get him a little drunk and he's snapping shots of himself on his cell phone and sending them to major news channels. I've seen it happen quite a few times

The problem is that CNN and Fox and whatnot just think they're pranks... so much of the world's best evidence is thrown aside as pranks

*sigh*

edit: I don't mean to insult anyone's beliefs I just thought this topic needed a little lightening up ;) Continue your discussion!

Edited by unreality
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Drunk with Sasquatch UR? ..Is he really as 'big' as people say he is? :P

Atlantis, just admit your BSing already. Seriously.

We all have are own little beliefs, but just because something sounds on the verge of insane doesn't mean that somebody doesn't believe it.

Besides there are mental conditions where people actually hear/see what isn't actually there, such as OCD, Schizophrenia, etc., but the thing with these disorders is that they're usually paired with other disorders that make people genii. Being a smart person makes you more used to other people being wrong, and always right. The point is that as long as these "delusions", as we non-believers call it, are not dangerous or damaging to the psychological welfare of the person in question, it is not necessary to intervene.

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