Debating the unknown?

[Flappy]

Is there really any point in debating what is unknown? (The existence of god(s) for example)?

If so, what do we gain from it?

If not, why?

[Lex]

Prove that we don't gain anything from it.

PROVE IT, YOU UNBELIEVER.

[austkyzor]

No! Bad Lex's-alter-ego! Get back in the cage! You know you can't prove a negative - if anything, you need to prove that we DO gain something from it.

SO! Start proving.

[Ryan]

You can prove a negative. For example, it is not enough to say that there is not blue text in this post. While your observation may be that there is none, your observation could be wrong. You can easily prove the negative by showing that all of the text in this post is not of the color blue, but of a different color.

I just proved a negative - it can, and should, be done if you claim the negative side of an argument. Proving a negative is REALLY hard.


In any case - the reason we debate the unknown, is because it brings us to conclusions we had not yet reached. A debate on something that is currently unknown will do one of two things. It will either lead us to discover the truth of the unknown, or lead us to discover a new unknown in which we can further debate. Had philosophers not started debating the unknown, and had cultural differences not sparked similar debates throughout history - there would be very little need for discovery. If everyone believed the earth was flat, no one would swim towards the edge. It was the debate about whether or not the earth was flat, that prompted the discovery of the globe. Strangely enough - science is entirely based on past debates about what was at the time unknown. Philosophers in the eras BC on into the early years AD questioned what were the building blocks of the universe. Today we call them atoms because of what the philosophers debated back them. We now know that atoms aren't the smallest things, and that there are smaller.

The point I'm making, is that debating things that seem to be unknown or may always be unknown, bring out ideas in people. Without debating the unknown - what's the point in discovering the known? How do we go about discovering the unknown?

[Cortney]

I think debating the unknown is pretty much debating opinions. Few things can be absolutely defined. Even science is based on human measurement and interpretation, which can be flawed. So really, if we didn't debate the unknown, we wouldn't really have much to talk about.

It helps us develop our own opinions and stances, which in turn build character and awareness of the world around us. It's just part of the human growing experience. Most debates over unknowns will never have a definite conclusion. We should treat the debate as an end, not a means to an end. Enjoy the actual debating, don't do it purely to get a definite answer - because odds are you will be very disappointed.

[krzych32]

Is it just me or are those debates getting more and more pointless.....

Now we even debate....debating.

[Cortney]

This is all food for thought. There's no point other than to exercise our minds. If you think that's pointless, then you don't have to participate. =P

[krzych32]

Jan 28, 2011 15:56:38 GMT -5 Cortney said:

This is all food for thought. There's no point other than to exercise our minds. If you think that's pointless, then you don't have to participate. =P

But I do! Oh the voices in my head!

[Alex]

Debating is fun. It's like war with words instead of guns! Make words, not war.

[austkyzor]

I will beat you to death with a commemoration plaque

[ryan]

debating the unknown is science and learning.......learning+finding unknown....so yeah