It's Impossible

[Hdier]

Most of us take for granted things like Magic isn't real, Horror monsters don't exist, etc.

And not so long ago people took for granted that people couldn't fly. To use an awesome quote from an equally awesome movie:

"People are dumb, panicky animals and you know it. Fifteen hundred years ago, everybody KNEW that the Earth was the center of the Universe.

Five hundred years ago, everybody KNEW that the Earth was flat.

Fifteen minutes ago, you KNEW that humans were alone in the Universe. Just think what you'll know tomorrow."

- MIB (1997, Paramount)

Why can't we simply have not discovered something yet, why are so many people closed-minded to so many ideas?

[rwyatt365]

One catch-phrase that I use when confronted with "That's impossible" is; Anything is possible, it's just that many things are improbable. I often cringe when so-called experts say that something is impossible (and cheer when they are found to be wrong).

[sriv]

I am slightly disturbed by people claiming certainty. My eyes want to start twitching. I can understand people claiming certainty when debating to further their point, but not when they are seriously claiming full impossibility.

[blueback]

People don't like choices because choices imply responsibility. People do like the idea that they don't have any control over their lives. To quote another movie (Children of Men) Michael Cain's character describes how all events are a product of the interaction between chance and fate. Basically, he's an old hippie who thinks that the only reason anything happens is because no one had any control over it (chance) and no one had any control over it (fate).

So, when people claim that something is impossible all they are really doing is stating that they don't want to think about it.

[vkut79]

Good point. People feel more comfortable without responsibility, without needing to think about too many issues. Perhaps this explains why a lot of people are often too willing to submit to authority. The authority can give them clear cut answers in place of uncertainty and can convince them of what they should think, which many people appreciate because then they themselves don't have to spend mental energy to find their own answers and form their own opinions. They can be especially prone to this submission when the authority is charismatic and tells the people what they want to hear. This happens throughout society.

[Mozzes]

One catch-phrase that I use when confronted with "That's impossible" is; Anything is possible, it's just that many things are improbable. I often cringe when so-called experts say that something is impossible (and cheer when they are found to be wrong).

How do you define 'anything'? How about on January 1, 2009 unicorns are going to spawn from the core of the Sun, fly through space to Earth, and destroy the human race by firing nuclear warhead-tipped missiles out of their ass?

I'm willing to state with complete certainty that will not happen. :p

[sriv]

Highly unlikely that the laws of physics and the universe will be bent, but under the miniscule chance that there is a God, He could do it.

[Motor Jax]

it is possible

[Antares]

Highly unlikely that the laws of physics and the universe will be bent, but under the miniscule chance that there is a God, He could do it.

Actually, the Second Law of Thermodynamics can be broken. Singularities are found to be constantly emitting particle/antiparticle pairs. For a short time, it 'survives', but it is quickly annihilated to keep the balance in the universe.

[curiousjane]

What? You mean we don't know it all, and quite possibly never will?

"Inconceivable!"

*thud*

Hey--somebody poke the Sicillian guy and see if he's still breathing.

[Motor Jax]

but... he's dreaming of his lost state of Atlantis...


that would be cool though, once Atlantis is finally found

oh, and the Fountain of Youth

[sriv]

Actually, the Second Law of Thermodynamics can be broken. Singularities are found to be constantly emitting particle/antiparticle pairs. For a short time, it 'survives', but it is quickly annihilated to keep the balance in the universe.

Well, religion's cheap argument is that God is above physical laws of the universe so if balance is broken, he can automatically restore it.

[Ool]

Why can't we simply have not discovered something yet, why are so many people closed-minded to so many ideas?

Because the number of possible facts is outnumbered by orders of magnitude by the potential alternatives. If you shuffle a deck of cards then the number of possible permutations is in the billions or more. And yet only one of the permutations is real...

So many ideas are simply wrong, and you don't have the resources to deal with all of them, so you have to prioritize and to make judgment calls, even at the risk of being wrong every now and then.

Purporting that something is impossible is also an idea--one that your mind seems to be closed to...

[Antares]

Most of us take for granted things like Magic isn't real, Horror monsters don't exist, etc.

And not so long ago people took for granted that people couldn't fly. To use an awesome quote from an equally awesome movie:

"People are dumb, panicky animals and you know it. Fifteen hundred years ago, everybody KNEW that the Earth was the center of the Universe.

Five hundred years ago, everybody KNEW that the Earth was flat.

Fifteen minutes ago, you KNEW that humans were alone in the Universe. Just think what you'll know tomorrow."

- MIB (1997, Paramount)

Why can't we simply have not discovered something yet, why are so many people closed-minded to so many ideas?

They still can't fly.

Well, religion's cheap argument is that God is above physical laws of the universe so if balance is broken, he can automatically restore it.

So I think this proves my point that matter CAN be created naturally. Because, what if there IS no universe to maintain the balance? Then the matter from the singularity would be free to exist until the universe was created from the Big Bang (If you accept this theory). Maybe the matter we see today are all the matter emitted from the Big Bang singularity?

[blueback]

Well, technically, if all things are possible, then isn't it possible that something is impossible?

I suppose things which directly violate the laws of nature would be impossible. For example, two pieces of matter cannot occupy the same space. So, it is impossible for two atoms to be in the same place. There, something that is impossible. That wasn't too hard.

[Antares]

Well, technically, if all things are possible, then isn't it possible that something is impossible?

I suppose things which directly violate the laws of nature would be impossible. For example, two pieces of matter cannot occupy the same space. So, it is impossible for two atoms to be in the same place. There, something that is impossible. That wasn't too hard.

I suppose we have a paradox here. Actually, violation of natural laws are possible. Take my example of creating something out of nothing by singularities.

[fonmaneal]

If two atom did occupy the same space the nature law police would put there butts in prison.
And it would serve them right. Cant have space-time violations.

[zhangxy]

Well, religion's cheap argument is that God is above physical laws of the universe so if balance is broken, he can automatically restore it.

You'll actually find many Christians completely respect science (e.g. Catholic Church) and they don't believe literally in parts of the Bible that contradicts science. The people who do take the Bible literally are fundamentalists and they only consist of 5% of the Christian community, yet many people treat all Christians as fundamentalists.

Science is mostly on par with religion, yet the parts that do contradict Christianity are so vague a topic that it almost requires more faith to believe in science than religion.

My idea that openly explaining God is impossible, yet he won't naturally break the laws of physics just because he can.

And my answer to the thread-starter, ghosts/other supernatural beings may indeed exist. How do we account for all the ghost visions? Plainly hallucinations?

[Moriarty]

If two atom did occupy the same space the nature law police would put there butts in prison.
And it would serve them right. Cant have space-time violations.

For some reason, I found this statement hilarious.

*sirens*

Pull over! Space-time violation!

[Erika Redmark]

Sir, I'm going to have to give you a ticket for disobeying Boyle's Law.

[Beery Swine]

I would need a specific example of something modern that people are "certain" of to say why I'm either close- or open-minded about it.

[Beery Swine]

I just felt like making a joke, so:

I'm completely open-minded about everything, and nothing you say is going to convince me otherwise, so don't even bother trying.

I stole that from Pat Condell.

[Pasha]

...snip

And my answer to the thread-starter, ghosts/other supernatural beings may indeed exist. How do we account for all the ghost visions? Plainly hallucinations?

Yes, as well as self-delusion, hoaxes and scams, wishful thinking, misinterpretations, mental illness, environmental causes.

[PHS Philip]

You'll actually find many Christians completely respect science (e.g. Catholic Church) and they don't believe literally in parts of the Bible that contradicts science. The people who do take the Bible literally are fundamentalists and they only consist of 5% of the Christian community, yet many people treat all Christians as fundamentalists.

Science is mostly on par with religion, yet the parts that do contradict Christianity are so vague a topic that it almost requires more faith to believe in science than religion.

My idea that openly explaining God is impossible, yet he won't naturally break the laws of physics just because he can.

And my answer to the thread-starter, ghosts/other supernatural beings may indeed exist. How do we account for all the ghost visions? Plainly hallucinations?

Actually, they are generally quite reproducible. For instance, many supernatural experiences can be replicated with the right frequency of infrasound. Others can be accurately simulated by stimulating the correct area of the brain.

[Monte314]

I would need a specific example of something modern that people are "certain" of to say why I'm either close- or open-minded about it.
I'll bet that you, a "modern person", are certain of your own existence. I might doubt that you exist, and you might not be certain of the precise nature of your own existence; but, to paraphrase Descartes, "If I doubt my own existence, I am then faced with the question of who is doing all this doubting?"

[AgentofGaming]

Actually, they are generally quite reproducible. For instance, many supernatural experiences can be replicated with the right frequency of infrasound. Others can be accurately simulated by stimulating the correct area of the brain.

As well as infrasound. Usually where ghosts are spotted there will be high electromagnetic activity. I suppose that's why they equip ghosthunters with EMF meters and that hearing device.

Maybe it's just energy instead of ghosts.

[Phrixos]

Everything is equally as possible as it isn't if it has not been proven to pertain to one conclusion. There are so many things we can't be 100% assured of. We know what we have experienced as a race on the planet earth.

We do know there is much more than planet earth.

Space is as much infinate as it is finate because we cannot determine that particular truth.

[Claptonian]

There's a big difference between calling unlikely propositions "impossible" and calling propositions that violate the laws of logic "impossible." Magic, and the supernatural in general, violate the laws of logic, therefore I call them "impossible." This is quite a safe position to take, because if the supernatural does exist, then the laws of logic would be void, in which case the supernatural could exist and still be impossible. So I would still be right. :)

[Beery Swine]

I'll bet that you, a "modern person", are certain of your own existence. I might doubt that you exist, and you might not be certain of the precise nature of your own existence; but, to paraphrase Descartes, "If I doubt my own existence, I am then faced with the question of who is doing all this doubting?"

Right, well, I'm close minded about both prospects, namely that maybe I don't exist and that you don't exist. I'm evidence enough for myself existing. Seems like circular reasoning, but like you said, if I'm thinking about whether I exist I must first exist to think about it.

You exist because I know plenty of other people who get on teh internets and type stuff into their flashy color box. Doesn't seem so unreasonable. I have no evidence to suggest that you don't exist, not that such evidence could even exist, but I have evidence that you do exist. Good enough until someone sends me a video of a robot typing one of your comments into this forum.

To summarize I'm only as close or open minded as the evidence permits and the outlandish claim allows.