The empirical method Options

[sikdragon]

I don't like the empirical method. why? because basically it says that everything humans can't explain doesn't exist. If that isn't closed minded then I don't know what is. By using the empirical method your mind does not exist. We all know that isn't true. Every living person has a mind regardless of it's health.

[sikdragon]

Yes it does. The tree is an entity independent of people who hear the noise. Although you can't actually percieve it, the evidence suggests that it does make the noise. Therefore, it is a reasonable assumption.

Even if you argue that I can't prove the tree makes the sound, I don't have to. The argument you want me to check is: "IF a tree falls when no one is around, THEN it makes a noise." But if, as you argue, reality is perception, one cannot see if a tree falls in teh first place. Since no tree falls, the IF clause is false, therefore teh statement as a whole is true anyways.

People see different parts of reality, but in the end there is only one reality. If I throw a football in the air, I percieve it and so does everyone around me -- because it is what happened in reality.

If all reality were perception, then nobody would percieve me throwing it.

you would.

Let us play a game:

I give you a small box, how do you find out if there's anything in it?

Are you going to try to perceive/imagine that something's there? Or maybe believe that's something's in there in hope that it exists?

No, mon ami, you would do the logical thing, and shake the damn thing to check for that something's existence. Or perhaps, you would simply open the box to see for yourself.

Believe it or not, that's using the empirical method since you are using your senses and experience to deduct that when you shake the box and something moves inside of it, there is obviously something there. Are you trying to tell me that doing so makes a person close minded?

No, let's say you gave me an invisible box. I use the empirical method and conclude nothing is there. <That is closed minded.