Don't believe anything unless you seen it with your own eyes or don't believe what you see?

Answer 1

This question enters the highly complex/irritating realm of epistemology; the theory of knowledge. The adage that "seeing is believing" is torn asunder by this study. Perception is imperfect and highly fallible. A woman in Arkansas thinks that she sees an image of the Virgin Mary in a water-stain on her wall. Is she seeing a miracle? Or is she falling prey to the human tendency to recognize faces whenever possible and her own religious beliefs? Perception is shaped by genetics and colored by cultural influence. In the 1950's in the United States, we were seeing "Martians" everywhere. Why? Social and cultural climate. We expected/feared aliens at that point, and so we were prone to "see" them, even when they were really falling stars or owls at night in the woods. Seeing is not believing...always...but maybe sometimes? Since we're in philosophy, I refer you to the "Inference to the Best Explanation", lovingly and lazily known as the IBE. The IBE says that through empirical (sensory) evidence combined with inductive reasoning, look for the simplest answer and that's probably it. Don't take your conclusion beyond your premises. If a car's body is banged up, it is relatively safe to claim it is damaged, but not that it was in a wreck. Someone might have attacked it with a sledgehammer. You just don't know. The IBE is that the banged up car is damaged; you can pretty well "know" this, but nothing more. Now, what can you "know" without seeing it? A priori things. Knowledge that requires no experiential support. Mathematics are a common example of a priori knowledge. You don't need to see the apples to "know" that if I have two and you have two that we have four apples. DesCartes may beg to differ, but we've no evidence yet that an evil demon controls our perception of reality and has only fooled us into believing that 2 + 2 = 4.

Answer 2

Have enjoyed the hobby of illusion and magic during more than 50 years and can do tricks that would baffle you!! The eyes and the brain only register to a degree and sends that information accordingly to your common sense, but that's not always right! So I would say what you see is not always the actual fact!! Also think about a mirage in the desert !

Answer 3

Don't believe everything you see, especially now in the days of digital photography and PhotoShop.

Answer 4

Perception is everything....based on your own space, time, and current experience.

Answer 5

be skeptical but not paralyzingly skeptical.