Do you believe in...

[Mayor]

No.

 

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

-Carl Sagan

 

While there is no evidence that human consciousness would, in any form, live past our bodies, there is no evidence to suggest that it doesn't either. What is human consciousness, is it only matter or are there other forms of substance? Science has no answer as of yet, but it is at least entertaining to consider the possibility that there are.

 

Ah, the argument from ignorance. While scientist haven't disproved ghosts, they haven't yet disproved the invisible unicorn in my backyard either.

 

I'm all for entertaining possibilities, but ghosts are just plain nonsense.

 

I doubt you have any knowledge of this unicorn you speak of, but you propably do have knowledge of your existence and the existence of your consciousness. Science doesn't offer a complete, objective view on the origins of consciousness. Some argue it never will nor could. When it comes to consciousness, it isn't all that unreasonable to assume that all possibilities are still open. Even if you reject the idea of any substance other than matter, quantum physics show us that many unexpected things are possible even in the realm of matter. My hand is at the same time attached to my arm and on the other side of the universe. So is every electron to ever exist. Your intuition counts for very little in the world beneath what our eyes can see, the fundamental mechanics of the universe.

 

Your argument is very broad, and leaves the door wide open for my invisible unicorn.

 

Just because we can't prove something doesn't exists, doesn't mean it probably does. The philosophic burden of proof is on the individual making the unfalsifiable claims. In this case, ghosts of the supernatural phenomenon.

 

I never said that ghosts propably exist.

 

pos·si·ble/ˈpäsəbəl/

Adjective:

Able to be done; within the power or capacity of someone or something.

Noun:

A person or thing that has the potential to become or do something.

Synonyms:

feasible - potential - probable - likely - contingent

 

I don't want to debate the existence of ghosts for exactly the same reasoning that you are using here. I haven't made any argument there except the same one that you used, that the existence or nonexistence of ghosts is an unfalsifiable claim. Consciousness is not. We can verify the existence of consciousness, so its nature, or at least the possibility of having information of its nature, is very much a debatable subject.

 

But if you're not interested in discussing that, we can end this here, because I have no desire to debate rhetorics.

 

Alright then, let's go off the topic of ghosts and discuss consciousness.

 

Can we really prove the existence of consciousness? Consciousness and mental activity is a process. Using EEG we have the ability to measure the electrical activity of this process. Something is there, but what is it? Well, the charge produced that makes these electrical signals are from billions of neurons in your brain. These neurons fire off to produce different thoughts and are different for every person. This is where our current understand stops, we don't know much else. Our brain tells us that we exist (cogito ergo sum) and that consciousness exists, but what scientific proof is there of this?

[Aidan]

Just because we can't prove something doesn't exists, doesn't mean it probably does.

 

this.

[Nippon]

Can we really prove the existence of consciousness? Consciousness and mental activity is a process. Using EEG we have the ability to measure the electrical activity of this process. Something is there, but what is it? Well, the charge produced that makes these electrical signals are from billions of neurons in your brain. These neurons fire off to produce different thoughts and are different for every person. This is where our current understand stops, we don't know much else. Our brain tells us that we exist (cogito ergo sum) and that consciousness exists, but what scientific proof is there of this?

 

I take it that with scientific proof you mean empirical evidence? Very little. We haven't reached that stage, perhaps never will.

 

However, we can prove without doubt(or, as it turns out, with doubt) that consciousness exists, with logic.

 

We should perhaps start by defining consciousness, but this turns out to be a very complex task. I will simply assume that we share the same intuitive idea on the essential properties of consciousness.

 

Cogito ergo sum, I think therefore I am. "I" thinks and exists, because if "I" didn't exist, it could not doubt its existence. We don't gain knowledge of the nature of "I", but it has the property of thinking, doubting its existence, which we attribute exclusively consciousness. What results is that what we think of as consciousness must exist. This fact is beyond any scientific proof, unquestionable.

 

I'll leave this here, but when I have time next week I'll go more into it. Perhaps this is worth another topic.

[Mayor]

I'll leave this here, but when I have time next week I'll go more into it. Perhaps this is worth another topic.

 

Very well then, thank you for the discussion thus far.

[Randy]

na blud

[BlueD00M4erz]

I believe in them, dude even spirits it's f'ked up but yeah

 

[NHL]

i think its a bunch of bs

[Davey]

I don't get why they aren't scientifically proved yet seeing as so many people can see them. I do believe there is something, but if we should call it ghosts? I don't know..

[Kingrang3194]

i don't think so b/c if they is ghosts why havn't we seen them do bad stuff?

[dandoon]

yes

[ls-life]

I have this mark on my ass... and i think a ghost bit me while i was asleep

[Wolfy]

Doubt it, if they do exist its obviously pretty strange stuff since we have no actual proof of it yet despite thousands of "ghost" sightings.

[Bwas]

No.

 

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

-Carl Sagan

 

[0ynxx]

I don't believe so , I think our minds can put anything in front of us if we want it or not

[Intensity]

Interesting subject, not.

 

freak

[Curtis]

Won't believe it until I see it. Simple as that.

[Administrator]

I sometimes cut two holes in a sheet, put it over my head, and ask for candy.

 

the awkward moment when the most retarded, immature and off-topic reply is from a moderator.

 

but on a srs topic. i don't know what to believe, because usually ghosts intertwine with religion and i'm agnostic

 

 

so idk

[employee]

nme are the ghost of epidemic so yes