What do you do or say when someone says that science doesn't tell anyone why something happens?
ex) 'Why do things fall?'
'Gravity.'
'Why does gravity make things fall?'
'Because things have mass, and that causes spacetime to curve, making things "roll" (fall) towards the larger mass (Earth).'
'Why does mass curve spacetime?'
'Because spacetime is like a fabric, and it curves easily.'
'Why does it curve easily?'
'Because that's what spacetime is; that's the property it acquired at the Big Bang.'
'Why?'
Is it just me, or is this just really frustrating?
Why questions
Moderator: Moderators
Why questions
Post #1"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan
"Thought, without the data on which to structure that thought, leads nowhere." - Victor Stenger
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan
"Thought, without the data on which to structure that thought, leads nowhere." - Victor Stenger
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McCulloch
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Re: Why questions
Post #2Reminds me of a children's lyric:
Why can't a dog have kittens?
Why, oh Why why why?
Why don't you answer my questions?
Why, oh Why why why?
Because, because, because, because.
Good night. Good night.
Faced with the impossibility of finding an ultimate answer due to infinite regression, they want you to admit the obvious truth that you don't have the answer and accept their answer as if it is meaningful and valid.
Why can't a dog have kittens?
Why, oh Why why why?
Why don't you answer my questions?
Why, oh Why why why?
Because, because, because, because.
Good night. Good night.
Faced with the impossibility of finding an ultimate answer due to infinite regression, they want you to admit the obvious truth that you don't have the answer and accept their answer as if it is meaningful and valid.
Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John
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JoeyKnothead
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Re: Why questions
Post #3You got one heckuva way about you.McCulloch wrote:Reminds me of a children's lyric:
Why can't a dog have kittens?
Why, oh Why why why?
Why don't you answer my questions?
Why, oh Why why why?
Because, because, because, because.
Good night. Good night.
Faced with the impossibility of finding an ultimate answer due to infinite regression, they want you to admit the obvious truth that you don't have the answer and accept their answer as if it is meaningful and valid.
Well done sir.
Post #5
'Why must there be an ultimate "why"?'AkiThePirate wrote:I don't like the idea of assuming that there must be an ultimate 'why'.
The guy who posed me this question was just getting annoying. He asked me three things (my answers in italics):
1. Why do we feel love? chemicals
2. Why does gravity work? spacetime
3. Why is there spacetime? symmetries, even though the question makes no sense
He said all I gave him was 'hows.'
I beat my head against a wall.
"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan
"Thought, without the data on which to structure that thought, leads nowhere." - Victor Stenger
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan
"Thought, without the data on which to structure that thought, leads nowhere." - Victor Stenger
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Goat
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Post #7
of course, the real response to 'Why must there be an ultimate "why", is 'Why not??"charris wrote:'Why must there be an ultimate "why"?'AkiThePirate wrote:I don't like the idea of assuming that there must be an ultimate 'why'.
The guy who posed me this question was just getting annoying. He asked me three things (my answers in italics):
1. Why do we feel love? chemicals
2. Why does gravity work? spacetime
3. Why is there spacetime? symmetries, even though the question makes no sense
He said all I gave him was 'hows.'
I beat my head against a wall.
“What do you think science is? There is nothing magical about science. It is simply a systematic way for carefully and thoroughly observing nature and using consistent logic to evaluate results. So which part of that exactly do you disagree with? Do you disagree with being thorough? Using careful observation? Being systematic? Or using consistent logic?�
Steven Novella
Steven Novella
Post #8
Those weren't whys?AkiThePirate wrote:You didn't give him any whys, but you should definitely ask him what makes him assume that there is a why.
"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan
"Thought, without the data on which to structure that thought, leads nowhere." - Victor Stenger
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan
"Thought, without the data on which to structure that thought, leads nowhere." - Victor Stenger
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nygreenguy
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