Why Argue?

How can anyone know beyond any doubt that their reasoning, or LOGIC, is infallible? So many of you try to prove your points using well constructed arguments that make complete sense--BUT what makes you think that your logic is rooted in absolute truth?

Confused? Well, my point is that humans have an almost unavoidable tendency to think that once they have discovered a predictable pattern, or have settled on rules that seem to completely describe a situation, or have settled on certain systems of reasoning (ahem...LOGIC), they have stumbled upon an absolute truth. Those who think this way are guilty of thinking Human Beings are at the high end of the ruler of intelligence--they think that a human can possess all the comprehension necessary to understand absolute truths. Who the HELL are we (humankind) to think that we have even the slightest grasp on what actually is a truth? How do we know that we are the most supremely intelligent beings ever to have existed ANYWHERE and that whatever we find to be true MUST be true?

Think of any other organism on this planet... Now while most Christians will argue that Man is special, most Atheists will argue that Man is just another animal, albeit the smartest one. ...ok, got the organism in your head? This organism might think that they have life all figured out, but they don't have nearly the same comprehensive abilities as humans, and as such cannot understand concepts which we can. Can a dog understand Calculus? Can an ant fathom the complexities of a black hole? Can a dolphin (bless their empathetic souls) understand what actually makes tides? From our observations we can all easily answer "no" to all of those questions. And while we can never know "for sure" that the answer is no, we can still pull from this comparison the fact that there very well might be a life form that possesses greater intelligence than humankind in a similar ratio.

So, before you Atheists and Christians (and others) go and bash each others brains out for not making any sense logically, think about your logic and how inferior it actually might be to Supreme Reasoning and Absolute Truth. Or, in other words, make sure that, whether you are cooking arguments for someone else, or eating arguments someone else cooked for you, you use a couple grains of salt.



Green

Originally posted by Greenwall

So, before you Atheists and Christians (and others) go and bash each others brains out for not making any sense logically, think about your logic and how inferior it actually might be to Supreme Reasoning and Absolute Truth. Or, in other words, make sure that, whether you are cooking arguments for someone else, or eating arguments someone else cooked for you, you use a couple grains of salt.



Green

You do make a couple of good points but how do you know there is such a thing as Supreme reasoning or Absolute Truth? If we took EVERYTHING with a grain of salt we'd go nuts. All our theories are based on certain assumptions which are necessary.

For some folks the objective of arguing is winning at the expense of the opponent who must be the loser. For other folks the objective of arguing is discussion to come to a new common understanding.

For some folks, marshalling an argument based on underlying logic as unemotively as possible, is a fundamental communication skill. For other folks, arguing on the merits and facts is so dispassionate that they cannot engage in it.

And then there are folks who will argue about whether they are arguing at all.

I win, absolutely.

You win next time.

Originally posted by I_s_i_s

You do make a couple of good points but how do you know there is such a thing as Supreme reasoning or Absolute Truth? If we took EVERYTHING with a grain of salt we'd go nuts. All our theories are based on certain assumptions which are necessary.

By saying to take things with grains of salt I simply mean keep an open mind at all times. Of course the world would fall to pieces if we were second guessing every single assumption in our daily lives, but in times of debate and discussion I feel that open minds are not as prevalent as we would be led to believe.

I don't know there is such a thing as Supreme reasoning or Absolute Truth any more than I know there is an end to time, but I do know that intelligence is relative. Knowing there is a possibility of comprehension greater than any human has possessed is enough.

Green

Masked,


Nice! I'm gonna print that out... excellent answer. I guess your answer shows that my original post was not geared towards all who argue, but rather those "unemotive" logic factories... But one might argue that the only people who truly argue are those who, however unemotively, present valid arguments--and then still they are one in the same. heh...what a perplexity...

Three cheers for Masked!!


Green

Originally posted by Greenwall
Knowing there is a possibility of comprehension greater than any human has possessed is enough.

Green

Thats the problem with most humans. We still cant comprehend the concept of infinity( I dont think we ever can), yet we have to make things up to feel so special. Our species needs a major therapist.