(The short version: Read this first) Re: Debate Format

Achilles achillesz@usa.net
Tue, 16 Feb 1999 00:21:00 -0500 (00919164060, 05200533818063@unifour.com) 

On 15 Feb 99, at 23:35, Matthew Bell wrote:


> > TILL

> > Not at all!  You just can't seem to understand this principle, can you? 

> > The absence of positive evidence that the virgin birth of Jesus happened

> > does not constitute proof that it did NOT happen; however, given the

> > extraordinary nature of the claim, the absence of positive evidence that

> > it happen does constitute legitimate reasons not to believe that it

> > happened. If you can't see the difference, then you need more help than

> > I can give you, Matt.

> 

> Matthew Bell

> It only constitutes legitimate reasons when one begs the question of

> whether miracles can happen or not. Why don't you provide the conclusive

> evidence that miracles cannot happen? 


Achilles
That is simply untrue. 

One may legitimately apply the analogy principle of historians, and accept the 
miracles that we know have some precedent, for instance Exorcisms, and Faith 
Healing, which happen constantly in certain cultures, as not being truly 
Extraordinary claims, but still hold things like Resurrection of the Dead, 
Walking on Water, and Virgin Birth of a Male Child are Extraordinary claims, 
the last perhaps the most so. 

There is no bias here that says miracles can't happen, just that miracles that 
don't occur today, haven't occurred for 2000 years EVEN IF they truly happened 
then, are Extraordinary claims! 

Indeed, you wouldn't have it any other way, would you? The very singularity of 
such a story, in other circumstances, you would doubtless claim as a selling 
point.

<TILL>

> > Let's take the Muslim claim that Muhammad divided the moon into two parts. 

> The absence of positive evidence that this event happened does not 

> constitute negative evidence, i.e., evidence that it did NOT happen. 

> However, given the extraordinary nature of the claim, the absence of 

> positive evidence that it happened constitutes very legitimate reasons not 

> to believe that it happened. Would you agree with this line of reasoning?


Matt? 

/Achilles     achillesz@usa.net

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