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I Have Proof

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
Everyone understands love (or should if they have ever loved someone). They can relate to the message.

If you are making a claim that the person can't relate to, and don't offer any evidence for you claim, then it becomes baseless. If you want someone to trust you over a claim, then the burden of proof is on you.

Why does it become baseless? I'm genuinely curious about your thinking here. Wouldn't you consider it evidence -- however weak or strong -- that X was the case, if someone claimed X was the case? And if you wouldn't, then on what principle of logic wouldn't you?
 

psychoslice

Veteran Member
Why does it become baseless? I'm genuinely curious about your thinking here. Wouldn't you consider it evidence -- however weak or strong -- that X was the case, if someone claimed X was the case? And if you wouldn't, then on what principle of logic wouldn't you?
Because it may be very well not the case.
 

Nietzsche

The Last Prussian
Premium Member
Then would you claim that someone stating they were in love was not providing evidence of their being in love?
@Neo Deist said what I was going to;

Everyone understands love (or should if they have ever loved someone). They can relate to the message.

If you are making a claim that the person can't relate to, and don't offer any evidence for you claim, then it becomes baseless. If you want someone to trust you over a claim, then the burden of proof is on you.
 

psychoslice

Veteran Member
Let's not play games. I politely asked you how you are defining the word "evidence". Just answer the question, please, and then I'll answer yours.
Evidence doesn't mean that is is true, like who's evidence do you believe in, courts are an example, the best so called evidence is the best persuader of that evidence, be that right or wrong.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
Evidence doesn't mean that is is true...

I agree with you there.

...the best so called evidence is the best persuader of that evidence, be that right or wrong.

And, if I understand what you're saying, I disagree with you on that point.

To me, evidence is defined as anything that would suggest or demonstrate something to be the case, or not to be the case. Evidence can be weak, strong, or anywhere in between weak and strong. If you said you loved your wife, and I had reason to believe that you were a credible witness and judge of your own emotions, I would count your statement as fairly strong evidence that you loved your wife. However, if I had reason to believe that you were not a credible witness and judge of your own emotions, I would count your statement as fairly weak evidence that you loved your wife.
 

psychoslice

Veteran Member
I agree with you there.



And, if I understand what you're saying, I disagree with you on that point.

To me, evidence is defined as anything that would suggest or demonstrate something to be the case, or not to be the case. Evidence can be weak, strong, or anywhere in between weak and strong. If you said you loved your wife, and I had reason to believe that you were a credible witness and judge of your own emotions, I would count your statement as fairly strong evidence that you loved your wife. However, if I had reason to believe that you were not a credible witness and judge of your own emotions, I would count your statement as fairly weak evidence that you loved your wife.
Yes and it all comes down to your own belief in what I say, its you who is deciding what true and what is not, that is your truth, as I have mine also........and so we all disagree.
 

Jeremiahcp

Well-Known Jerk
I think you must mean that emotions in general are intersubjectively verifiable. Specific emotions -- e.g. whether John loves his dog -- are not intersubjectively verifiable.

However, the feeling of love is something people can relate to, and that is an important distinction. The statement: "I have proof shoe fairies exist but I cannot share it with you." is very different than the statement: "John loves his dog." Many of us have experienced love for dogs, therefore it is something we can relate to; however, very few of us have witnessed a shoe fairy.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
However, the feeling of love is something people can relate to, and that is an important distinction. The statement: "I have proof shoe fairies exist but I cannot share it with you." is very different than the statement: "John loves his dog." Many of us have experienced love for dogs, therefore it is something we can relate to; however, very few of us have witnessed a shoe fairy.

It seems to me you are making a distinction between whether or not one understands the evidence, rather than a distinction between, say, evidence and no evidence, or between weak and strong evidence. Or are you arguing that the quality (e.g. whether it is weak or strong) of the evidence changes depending on whether or not the evidence is understood?
 

Willamena

Just me
Premium Member
When making a claim to someone else, is the statement "I have Proof" a valid statement if you cannot share that proof with the other person?
Sharing is not a requirement of validity. Imagine, what if you were the last person on Earth and couldn't share anything. Would nothing be valid, then? Of course not.
 

Jeremiahcp

Well-Known Jerk
Sharing is not a requirement of validity. Imagine, what if you were the last person on Earth and couldn't share anything. Would nothing be valid, then? Of course not.

If I was the last man on Earth I would not be making any claims to someone else. Your example drags the question out of the context it was asked in.
 

Willamena

Just me
Premium Member
If I was the last man on Earth I would not be making any claims to someone else. Your example drags the question out of the context it was asked in.
It's not an example of making a claim, but an example of the appropriateness of the requirement of validity.
 
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