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Causation....can we ever truly know?
#1
The philosopher David Hume argued that we can never truly see or know the cause of anything. Take gravity for example:

Newton argued that we can see gravity by dropping something. And yes, we can see that I you pick up your computer and drop it, it will fall. But I question: How do we know it is gravity that is causing this?

Before Newton, Aristotle believed that the reason things fell was because they belonged on earth. Kind of like a magnet. Up until Newton everyone, including the church, believed this was true. Then Newton set everyone straight.

But how do we know it is gravity that CAUSES us to fall back down when we jump? How do we know that in 200 years someone won't come up with a new, better idea?

You see, the point I'm trying to make is that in early times they thought the cause of things falling was because they belonged to the earth and had some force of energy in them that made them want to be next to the earth. Now we believe the cause of things falling is because of this force called gravity. So the earlier people actually DIDN'T know the CAUSE. And who's to say we KNOW the cause?
#2
Never thought of that. But I can always count on you to get me thinking about these things. LOL
#3
I dont get that stuff.....lol
#4
Ummmm....if you say so.
#5
blackcatfan4life Wrote:Never thought of that. But I can always count on you to get me thinking about these things. LOL

Heyyyyyyyyy! Someone understands. Gah, Beef.

Posted 16 Feb 2005 05:38 pm:

ttt

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