Why do people believe in things that can't be scientifically proven?

Question

Like God, ghosts and horoscopes.

Answer 1

Because there are lots of things that haven't been scientifically proven YET. Heck, didn't people once believe the earth was flat? I guess they were okay with that. But, if you're using God, ghosts & horoscopes, WOW. I can hardly wait to see the answers!

Edit: It would be so--nice--if we would EVER put the "ape" thing at rest. Human's DNA is closest to chimpanzees than any other animal. So? In quantity, the miniscule difference is very small; yet the ability of the chimpanzee to "think" as we do is galaxies away. TO THINK AS WE DO, operative phrase. Just let it go, huh?

Answer 2

First of all, nothing can be scientifically proven. Science demonstrates probabilities, not proofs. Proof means that it is LOGICALLY impossible for a statement to be false. Only math and logic can include statements dealing in logical possibility (as opposed to physical possibility, which is the realm of science, and does not include proofs). Proofs are statements that are true by definition. What we call scientific proof is actually just very, very high probability.

That being said, there is perfectly good reason to believe things that can't be scientifically demonstrated. For example, 1 + 1 = 2. Numbers are abstract concepts that can only be represented in physical things. You can certainly demonstrate that if you have one apple and get another apple you now have two, but you can't separate the numbers themselves from the apples to do a scientific experiment on numbers. They are strictly abstract, but I'm sure that nobody is likely to question that 1 + 1 = 2.

Answer 3

Well for one thing, those scientists have yet to explain so many things. they themselves can't prove much of what you are asking about. Human beings are so complex that there would have to be something more. No one really knows for sure. We all have had a mother that gave birth to us, so who gave birth to the first baby? Who is the mother of all mothers? There would be no way to prove it so instead of thinking that we as complex as we are evolved from animals is unbelieveable. even more unbelieveable than to say that there was a god. To answer the question of ghosts, well there is definetly good and evil, I have seen it. Some say that they have felt the presence of someone else there with them but they could not see them, so there has been a question of ghosts being real and not a fantasy horror. I am a virgo and have been friends with another virgo who was absolutley nothing like me at all. These are things that we may never have the answers to, but if we had the answers to everything then there would be no point of living. If you have a child of your own then you would see that there must be something above us, something more complex than us. Otherwise we would have all the answers.

Answer 4

Isn't that what's called FAITH? (when it comes to God) I disagree, ghosts are very real to those sensitive to them. And horoscopes, done by the right person, are also VERY real. Did you know that if you give me your birthtime, year and location I could tell everything about not only you, but everyone in your life? Your bosses, your neighbors, your sisters, grandparents, wife, future wife, future children, who dented your car and took off, what happened to you when you were 5 or 10 or whatever, or your parents?, etc. It used to be you could call the clerk if you didn't know what time you were born and they would give it to you. No more! Now you have to prove who are before they will give a birthtime. Why? Not only because of the confidentiality act, but because the government as well uses astrologers and has realized the importance of putting confidential info in the wrong hands. As far as astrology being scientifically proven, there are court cases. Look up the case of People of the State of NY v Evangeline Adams. Einstein himself would disagree with you having stated, "Do not condemn astrology, for I have studied it, you have not." And there are many others. You can't have an educated discussion with someone who is totally ignorant. Before you condemn, learn! Ignorance is one thing, stupidity another.
Have you ever heard of Jung, Ptolemy, Copernicus, Edgar Cayce, Aristotle, Plato, Nostradamus, just to name a few? Oops, I left out the Vatican. Every hear of that place?
Good one mdgcats!!!!

Answer 5

Because some of us believe that science isn't everything. Even if it were, some of the things that currently can't be proven by science may just be because the science hasn't caught up yet. Some of the things we can currently prove with science could not be proven with science as we knew it many years ago.

Answer 6

Faith and intuition! Agreed the former can be complete folly but intuition can reach far beyond the morbid conclusions of science and math. Chess Players competing against Computers and String Theorists in Physics are awakening to that fact as we speak!

Answer 7

Good question. Of course, one has to be careful with the word "proven" since almost nothing is 100% in science. We can show overwhelming evidence, however.

But the horoscope thing I find especially laughable, it cna be shown quite easily that it is total crap.
As for god, that is harder for people to wrap their minds around, but I lament the lack of atheist brethren.

Answer 8

We are in the process of still learning about ourselves and things that even scientists do not know about. there is so much we need to learn....like the power we have within ourselves. its too complicated to explain now..but little by little we are finding truths

also just to add we are a body and a soul..when we die the soul never dies. There have been people with instrument that measure energy levels etc..do change and people have been pushed by spirits

Answer 9

People believe in these types of things to fill in the gaps. It's difficult to lose a loved one and not know or understand what happened, so why not tell yourself that person went to heaven?

Those things don't do anything for me, but some people can't make it through the days of their lives without them.

Answer 10

Because it's FUN! Why else?!? Some people like to think "outside the box." There's no harm in it and it gives people something to do, something to think about. Who cares if you can't prove it. Why do certain people need proof of everything to believe it?