MBlume comments on "Put It To The Test" - Less Wrong

12 Post author: MBlume 03 February 2010 11:09PM

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Comment author: MBlume 05 February 2010 03:53:25AM 1 point [-]

Hmm

I'm worried this might devolve into semantics: is the string of words under discussion on Our Side or not -- we must know!

Still, my intuitive interpretation would be to say that while we can 'check' each of those pieces of evidence, we still cannot 'check' whether there's chocolate cake, which seems to me to be what's meant by "unless it can be checked"

Comment author: byrnema 05 February 2010 04:32:03AM *  2 points [-]

I'm worried this might devolve into semantics:

No worries, we agree. If by 'check' they meant 'check directly', then I agree the statement isn't right.

Comment author: DaveGriffith 09 February 2010 01:48:58AM 0 points [-]

Another alternative reading is "can theoretically be checked". Obviously, this is strictly weaker, but still covers a large number of logical failures (e.g. creationism).

Comment author: byrnema 09 February 2010 02:12:49AM 0 points [-]

Belief in things that cannot be theoretically checked are fantasies. Do you think such beliefs are 'logical failures'?