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Cake day: July 3rd, 2023

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  • Yes, senses are inherently subjective. Yes, reading a scale with your eyes can throw off the result. There is an accepted protocol on how to read a meniscus in a graduated cylinder for this reason or any scale for that matter.

    When you say I believe I turned off the oven, you are subjectively recalling something. You aren’t looking at the oven, you’re remembering it. You aren’t checking that it’s off. You’re saying that to the best of my memory, I turned it off. “I’m pretty sure.” That is subjective.


  • If I say, “I believe I turned off the oven,” I’m not expressing a faith-based conviction to the idea that I turned it off, I’m saying that based on my best recollection of the evidence, I did turn it off.

    Right, it’s subjective and based on your own experience without concrete evidence. That’s what I’m saying. Science is objective and must rely on evidence.

    I’m not insisting that belief necessarily means anything faith-based. It could, but that’s not what we’re focusing on here. Only that it has a different meaning than accept as far as science is concerned.


  • I figured that was a typo because I wasn’t pointing out that you were supporting your point. I did provide the links you asked for. I didn’t even derail the conversation to point out that you think philosophy is a science. It’s not, in a traditional sense. But it does highlight some fundamentals of why these concepts are difficult for you. You’ll want to see or believe what you want, even if it’s to intentionally miss the point apparently. Like I said, good luck to you.




  • I think you’ve missed some of what I’m saying. Vernacular changes through common (popular) use of a word. I’m referring to strict definitions that are found in science.

    I never indicated that beliefs are fixed, only that they are subjective and not based on evidence. That is by definition not scientific.

    You’re starting to get it in the third paragraph, but you’re holding on to this idea that beliefs and acceptance are the same. Again, nothing in science is based on beliefs.

    Good scientists look for ways they are wrong; people holding onto beliefs look for ways to back up why they’re right.

    Edit: I should also add that Webster’s adds words every year based on popular usage. That’s vernacular, common usage. That’s why it also lists the word literally as also meaning its antonym, because people commonly use it incorrectly.


  • Beliefs are subjective. They can be held without evidence.

    Scientific acceptance is the opposite.

    I likely won’t be able to change your mind because you believe they mean the same thing. I assure you they don’t. You can’t come to a scientific conclusion based on conviction. You have to accept or reject the null hypothesis based on evidence which even then doesn’t necessarily verify your hypothesis. You also have to run everything through statistical analyses to be sure that the results couldn’t occur randomly. Everything can change with new evidence and stronger tests (larger sample sizes, double blinds, etc.) Webster’s won’t teach you that. It records vernacular.