Question: Does any one of us know anything - for sure?
2007-12-19 07:30:41 · 43 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Because we are fallible, imperfect creatures, the strict answer is no. The best we can hope for, with anything, is to be certain beyond a reasonable doubt. For example, based on years of experience with gravity, I'm confident beyond a reasonable doubt that if I drop a pencil it will fall to the floor. Do I *know* that the pencil will fall? Not strictly speaking. Without this kind of faith in thousands of things each and every day we could not live. If I could not be confident that a chair would hold my weight, I'd never sit down. If I could not be confident that putting my foot on the floor wouldn't cause me to fall through, I'd never move. Life would be crazy!
We simply must live our lives based on knowing things beyond a reasonable doubt. I'm a Jesus follower. My faith in Christ is based on evidence that shows me that he is real beyond any reasonable doubt. I am as confident in him as I am in gravity.
2007-12-19 07:41:22 · answer #1 · answered by onebriiguy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Judging by the caliber of answerers on Yahoo Answers, I think you might get 1 out of every 5 responses to be valid responses to this question. Unfortunately, Yahoo Answers has a paucity of good respondents. Fortunately, they have many good questioners.
By the term “sure” I am assuming you mean to ask whether we can know anything to be absolutely true. I think the answer to that is no. We cannot be absolutely certain of anything, because perceptions aren’t always accurate, and we ascertain all propositions of truth through our perceptions; whether those positions are about a tangible reality or abstract concept.
Implicit in any claim of being absolutely certain of anything, is the notion that one is omniscient, for absolute certainty requires all knowing cognizance of the world in order to be assured that no contradictory facts exist that will undermine your beliefs. Religions are guilt of this sort of hubris.
That does not mean that the entire enterprise of knowing is necessarily misguided or futile. Though we cannot know something with absolute certainty, we can reach an approximation of the truth, and if we cannot even do that, we can reach a sort of verdict on life, that if it does not reflect reality, will add to our overall happiness.
And ultimately, all pursuits of what is real and true have as their endgame the achievement of a state of happiness. Granted such an answer might not please philosophers, but for the most of us, I think it is quite satisfactory.
2007-12-19 08:17:06 · answer #2 · answered by Lawrence Louis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, it depends on your definition of "sure". If you mean a premise which is backed by so much evidence that it would be silly to suppose it false, that is one thing; if you mean a premise which is provable in a mathematical sense, that is something else altogether. We do know for sure that there is no largest integer, and that there is no fraction which is exactly equal to the square root of 2.
2007-12-19 07:37:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. At some point, you must reach some unprovable axiom.
You must accept the veracity of your own observations axiomically, and cannot escape this fact. That means that while everything may be provable granted that axiom, all those proofs rest on something unprovable.
This is known as the problem of epistemology. There is no form of knowledge which does not require, at its core, unprovable concepts, no matter how few or seemingly trivial they may be.
2007-12-19 07:36:30 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
This is an interesting question you pose.
Anything we know is for sure - because we know it.
No, I'm just kidding.
Yes, I do know certain things for sure. You might refer to it as absolute truth. I not only believe, but I know that the Bible is the inspired word of God.
If you would like, I would be happy to provide you with "proof", if that's needed.
2007-12-19 07:39:22 · answer #5 · answered by Earl Grey 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes we do...we know everything we have experienced in this life from the moment of conscious thought to the current moment...and it's possible that locked away in the 90% of the brain we don't use is something we don't really want to know...
2007-12-19 07:37:52 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. I know for certain that the Earth is one of the best places that I have ever been to. And that is saying something!
2007-12-19 07:34:23 · answer #7 · answered by blklightz 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh, this old chestnut.
No, not with absolute certainty.
However, reality demands consideration of what we can sense and perceive. With that in mind, you cannot know with absolute certainty that you exist, but based on the evidence acquired via your senses, you can reasonably conclude that, in this realm, you do exist.
2007-12-19 07:38:46 · answer #8 · answered by mam2121 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. This is a valid answer.
2007-12-19 07:35:14 · answer #9 · answered by Jed 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Define "valid". All of our knowledge is somewhat tentative, due to our limited vision. Only YHVH knows for sure. "God" is the name of a heathen "mighty one". He knows nothing.
2007-12-19 07:35:05 · answer #10 · answered by hasse_john 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋