Question for skeptics

If what the government tells us about 9/11 is "fact", then does the story consitantly change? I could have sworn facts were constant.

This question is a few thousand years old.

Absolute truth, or absolutism, according to wikipedia, is:

Absolutism contends that in a particular domain of thought, all statements in that domain are either absolutely true or absolutely false: none is true for some cultures or eras while false for other cultures or eras. These statements are called absolute truths. A common reaction by those who newly criticize absolutism is the absolute truth statement: Absolute truths do not exist.

And according to whatis.com:

In general, absolute truth is whatever is always valid, regardless of parameters or context. The absolute in the term connotes one or more of: a quality of truth that cannot be exceeded; complete truth; unvarying and permanent truth. It can be contrasted to relative truth or truth in a more ordinary sense in which a degree of relativity is implied.

Abosulte truth was an idea defended by some old, dead guy named Plato. Plato had a teacher, another old, dead guy, named Socrates. Socrates came up with this thingy called elenchus, defined here:

The Socratic elenchus eventually gave rise to dialectic, the idea that truth needs to be pursued by modifying one's position through questioning and conflict with opposing ideas. It is this idea of the truth being pursued, rather than discovered, that characterizes Socratic thought and much of our world view today. The Western notion of dialectic is somewhat Socratic in nature in that it is conceived of as an ongoing process. Although Socrates in The Apology claims to have discovered no other truth than that he knows no truth, the Socrates of Plato's other earlier dialogues is of the opinion that truth is somehow attainable through this process of elenchus .

So according to him, truth or "fact" is based on opinion, conjecture, and the collection of evidence. It's really up to you which you believe.

Originally posted by white4life420
If what the government tells us about 9/11 is "fact", then does the story consitantly change? I could have sworn facts were constant.

I'm not aware of any facts concerning 9/11 that consistently change. And if they do, it's not because of some government conspiracy, it's because we have uncovered knew evidence which suggests 9/11 happened just a little bit differently than we previously thought. That what it's all about, you look at the evidence and make a conclusion based on that, even if it involves tweaking the story.