(1) makes an assertion; and (2) wants to persuade another person to accept it as true.
It doesn't matter if the assertion is probable or improbable, positive or negative. It's the act of persuasion that creates the burden.
(And isn't labeling something "improbable" already a judgment of the merits of the assertion? I can see how "improbability" could be contained within the assertion itself (e.g., miracles defined as improbable events), but that isn't going to be true in most cases.)
-----Original Message----- From: lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org [mailto:lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org] On Behalf Of Yoshie Furuhashi Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2005 1:30 PM To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org; furuhashi.1 at osu.edu Subject: [lbo-talk] Appeal to Ignorance
>[lbo-talk] Appeal to Ignorance
>Chris Doss lookoverhere1 at yahoo.com
>Thu Jun 2 11:30:29 PDT 2005
<snip>
>>In the case of (A), positive evidence for a categorically
>>metaphysical entity, strictly speaking, cannot be provided, and
>>claims for positive evidence for its manifestations in nature are
>>either easily debunked hoaxes (like claims of miracles)
>
>How do you know all claims of miracles are easily debunked hoaxes?
>Have you studied them all? No, you haven't.
Your statements are a textbook case of shifting the burden of proof and appealing to ignorance. Miracles, by definition, are improbable -- they are said to be rare and to defy known physical laws (otherwise, they wouldn't be miraculous -- merely ordinary). Those who make an improbable claim, such as making or witnessing miracles, are the ones who must prove it, not the other way around.
Why is appeal to ignorance so commonly used, even by such intelligent and well educated individuals like yourself? That's the question that intrigues me. -- Yoshie
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