Can a Negative Claim Ever Be Proven?

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The discussion centers on the complexities of proving negative claims, particularly in the context of philosophical and scientific reasoning. Participants explore the idea that while negative claims can sometimes be proven in specific contexts, such as with tangible objects like oranges, proving the non-existence of abstract concepts like God is inherently more challenging. The conversation highlights that proof in mathematics differs significantly from scientific proof, which relies on evidence and observation rather than absolute certainty. Key points include the distinction between direct observation and inductive reasoning, emphasizing that one cannot prove a negative simply by failing to observe it. The analogy of a bowl containing oranges illustrates that one can assert the absence of oranges based on high confidence from observation, whereas claims about entities like ghosts or God lack the same empirical basis. The discussion also touches on the need for clear definitions when debating existence and the limitations of human observation in proving universal claims. Ultimately, the consensus is that while skepticism is warranted in the absence of evidence, definitive proof of non-existence remains elusive.
  • #31
TheStatutoryApe said:
I do not understand what is unreasonable about it. I am fairly certain that scientists have not access to the universe as a whole and only make observations of small parts of it in order to draw conclusions about the nature of the whole.
They don't draw conclusions, but they do make working assumptions and extrapolate.

But you cannot extrapolate to show something does or doesn't exist.
 
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  • #32
TheStatutoryApe said:
make observations of small parts of it in order to draw conclusions about the nature of the whole.

Making predictions about unobserved phenomena, based on observed phenomena is inductive reasoning. It is not the same as direct observation, whether it uses direct observation as basis or not.

Science involves prediction based on evidence; inductive reasoning.
It is not pure observation.

You cannot 'prove' something with induction, like you can with deduction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_induction

Even observations can be faulty and lead to error.

You cannot 'prove' that something doesn't exist, simply by saying you've never seen it.
You cannot 'prove' that something unseen exists based on what you can see.

You can make all kinds of assumptions, predictions, and inferences, but that is not proof.
 

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