You Can Prove A Negative
11#atheism #atheist #skeptic #skepticism #logic
We've all heard the claim 'you can't prove a negative'. It's a pretty common claim, especially among atheists and sceptics. There are plenty of examples of it floating around. With many people claiming that it's just 'Logic 101'. The problem is... it's a myth. That's right, sceptics and atheists are promoting a myth about logic.
In this video I look at the claim that you can't prove a negative. Presenting some common arguments for why you can prove a negative. As well as looking at some very basic Classical Logic. There is also a look at some of the rebuttals to the arguments from fellow sceptics and atheists during a discussion I had recently.
Many sceptics and atheists argue against words like belief, as well as argue that the 'belief God does not exist' form of atheism, is religiously tainted. Yet, this argument is a popular tactic from the apologist, and many of my fellow sceptics and atheists have no problem promoting this falsehood. Essentially doing the work of the apologist for them.
Links:
Law, S. (2011) 'You Can Prove A Negative', Psychology Today
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/believing-bull/201109/you-can-prove-negative
Emerson Green/Waldenpod
https://www.youtube.com/c/EmersonGreen
Real Atheology
https://www.youtube.com/c/RealAtheology
The Non-Alchemist
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheNonAlchemist
CounterApologist
https://www.youtube.com/user/CounterApologist
Answers in Reason
https://www.youtube.com/c/Answers-in-reason
Chapters
---------------
00:00 - Pre-amble
00:17 - Introduction
02:37 - It's A Negative Claim
04:14 - Cheese-less Fridges
06:32 - Cartesian Certainty
10:12 - It's (not) Logic 101
11:43 - Modus Tollens
13:45 - Proof of the Negative by Mutual Exclusivity
15:55 - Absence of Evidence
17:42 - Some Rebuttals...
18:26 - It's About Existence
20:46 - It Could Exist Somewhere Else
22:28 - That's About Shape Not Existence
23:15 - Falsification
24:47 - Conclusion
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