How we know what we know: utter denial in human beings

[BlueSky_TheMan]

Hello again 9th engineer.

I read your post several times in order to, hopefully, understand everything you’ve presented. I feel it contains very insightful and sincere concepts. I respectfully add my reflections as follows:

Scientific truth is higher than personal belief truth’s

Originally Posted by 9th Engineer

The link between truth and scientific fact is stronger than personal belief

I thought it might be interesting to think about this statement in this manner: My understanding is that we’ve established that it is reasonable to accept that each of us usually perceives the world around us based on the filter of our past experiences and beliefs. If the above quote is a belief someone holds, how would this filter affect his or her daily experiences? Also: how would this filter make a person feel about themselves?

Originally Posted by 9th Engineer

The express reason for requiring that all experiments be recreatable is to eliminate personal bias and error, and ensure that the data holds true for the defined set of circumstances. Behaviors are truths, matter will always exert a force on other matter, light will always propagate in a predictable fashion as long as you know the properties of the surrounding space

If we attempt to define levels of truth I believe you’ve hit the nail on the head in that scientific facts are higher than “normal” personal beliefs because scientists make a strenuous effort in eliminating personal bias. I say normal because I believe there is a way to construct a personal belief that makes it altogether different in nature than the ones most of us have accepted. I wonder if you feel that it is possible to have/create a personal belief system that is in no way based on past experiences/comprehensions in a similar manner that scientific procedure attempts

A lengthy article, but good information about intentions changing our very DNA structure, and a measurable field of energy emanating from our hearts that has effects on people/substances nearby. Could not these energies effect every Science experiment ever observed or performed near a human ?


Hard to get through, but basically we’re seeing light photons becoming ordered by the mere presence of human DNA. (this doesn’t appear to be a predictable fashion does it ?)

Look at just how complex the structure is to get all this information to our brains. Can it be that hard to believe our intentions can make the minute chemical and electric pulses needed to drastically alter what we perceive around us ?

Originally Posted by 9th Engineer

I don't like the word truth used like that is that it takes all meaning away from the word

I can understand your concern, but taking all meaning away from the word truth was my goal. I agree that there appears to be “levels” of observable reality (truth/belief/fact). The point is that they are all subjective in some manner. Why put my faith in any of them?

[Stormieweather]

Originally Posted by BlueSky_TheMan

~snip~..................I can understand your concern, but taking all meaning away from the word truth was my goal. I agree that there appears to be “levels” of observable reality (truth/belief/fact). The point is that they are all subjective in some manner. Why put my faith in any of them?

So, in essence, you are a Nihilist?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism

Nihilism is often described as a belief in the nonexistence of truth. In its more extreme forms, such a belief is difficult to justify, because it contains a variation on the liar paradox: if it is true that truth does not exist, the statement "truth does not exist" is itself a truth, therefore showing itself to be inconsistent. A formally identical criticism has been leveled against relativism and the verifiability theory of meaning of logical positivism.

[BlueSky_TheMan]

Nihilism is a philosophical position which argues that the world, and especially human existence, is without objective meaning, purpose, comprehensible truth, or essential value. Nihilists generally assert some or all of the following: there is no reasonable proof of the existence of a higher ruler or creator, a "true morality" is unknown, and secular ethics are impossible; therefore, life has no truth, and no action is known to be preferable to any other.[1]

I don't consider Nihilism a correct description of my belief system. I see great meaning beyond all things, I do believe there is purpose and a comprehensible truth. I just don't think those things are within physical form. I believe in God. I believe all living/conscious beings are much more than their physical form and for some reason we have all decided to share this illusion we appear to work, play , and die within.