gnostic
The Lost One
I have sometimes use the "What if...?" question/scenario, in some philosophical discussion, but I recognized such scenarios are not necessarily true, because using the "What if..?" is just speculation of what could possibly happen...OR POSSIBLY NOT.
It is only possibility of something that (speculatively) could or could not happen, especially speculating on the choice made that could result in different outcomes.
However, I recognized that using this type of question, they are only speculations, they should not be treated as reality, and they are not "fact".
But I have been at RF long enough, to come across many "What if...?", and I see that some members abuse this line of question/scenario.
Not naming names.
Some have used to prop their belief as if what they believe as "fact". These can easily be argue against using logic and common sense.
But then there are those who like to use "What if...?", as a ploy or tactics, they used strawman.
Strawman is a ploy, where one person supposedly refuting another person’s argument, even though that other person didn’t use, say or write that argument. So the first person was making false statement about the other person’s view.
The strawman “what if...?” ruses have been frequently used by creationists to argue the case against Evolution.
For instances, some of their favorites:
These these 2 examples are very common here, at RF, used by creationists, to supposedly refuting and discrediting the theory of Evolution.
A number of problems with these examples are -
With regarding to B, when you ask creationists to produce sources where biologists would use or agree with either examples, creationists would ignore or make some sorts of lame excuses, to avoid citing their sources.
The “what if” is speculative, unless someone can actually show evidence that the positive or negative results are possible and probable.
What do you think?
It is only possibility of something that (speculatively) could or could not happen, especially speculating on the choice made that could result in different outcomes.
However, I recognized that using this type of question, they are only speculations, they should not be treated as reality, and they are not "fact".
But I have been at RF long enough, to come across many "What if...?", and I see that some members abuse this line of question/scenario.
Not naming names.
Some have used to prop their belief as if what they believe as "fact". These can easily be argue against using logic and common sense.
But then there are those who like to use "What if...?", as a ploy or tactics, they used strawman.
Strawman is a ploy, where one person supposedly refuting another person’s argument, even though that other person didn’t use, say or write that argument. So the first person was making false statement about the other person’s view.
The strawman “what if...?” ruses have been frequently used by creationists to argue the case against Evolution.
For instances, some of their favorites:
- What if a chimp given birth to human, or what if a human given birth to chimp?
- What if a cat given birth to pup, or what if a dog given birth to a kitten?
These these 2 examples are very common here, at RF, used by creationists, to supposedly refuting and discrediting the theory of Evolution.
A number of problems with these examples are -
(A) that’s not Evolution work, because one species cannot give birth to another species from different totally different genus and family, hence they are making false claims as to how Evolution works;
(B) I know of no biologists who would propose either of these examples being possible, so they are making false allegations that biologists would make such silly speculations.
(B) I know of no biologists who would propose either of these examples being possible, so they are making false allegations that biologists would make such silly speculations.
With regarding to B, when you ask creationists to produce sources where biologists would use or agree with either examples, creationists would ignore or make some sorts of lame excuses, to avoid citing their sources.
The “what if” is speculative, unless someone can actually show evidence that the positive or negative results are possible and probable.
What do you think?