Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!amdahl!pacbell!att!cblpf!cblpn!pat
From: pat@cblpn.ATT.COM (pat)
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: Re: AI and people
Message-ID: <765@cblpn.ATT.COM>
Date: 10 Jun 88 23:58:40 GMT
References: <8806011801.AA00844@vlsi2.ee.ufl.edu> <666@auvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: pat@cblpn.ATT.COM (pat)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Columbus, Ohio
Lines: 52

In article <666@auvax.UUCP> charlesv@auvax.UUCP (Charles van Duren) writes:
>In article <8806011801.AA00844@vlsi2.ee.ufl.edu>, jimmyz%oak.dnet@VLSI2.EE.UFL.EDU (Anubis The Psychic Chaos Metal Riffer Warrior) writes:
>
>> As for religion, spritualness, and other meta-physical "science," that is
>> a matter of personal beliefe. Different people feel/thing different things
>> about the universe and their place in it. But we can not assume they are all
>> true. THat is not the way to approach a problem scientifically.
>
>Do not confuse "truth" and "effectiveness". The scientific notion of truth
>has to do with the effectiveness (empirically perceived) of acting in
>accordance with some principle. The empiricism defines the sientific approach.
>Who are you (or anyone else) to deny the "truth" of my personal beliefs if
>they are effective in my life? The effects may not be empirically verifiable,
>but you cannot _effectively_ deny that such beliefs are true (meaning that
>in _my_ world, your opinions may be totally irrelevant).
>
>CvD (human)

"Truth" is conformity to fact or actuality; reality.  It is not subjective,
nebulous, or open to interpretation.  There are certain laws, principles,
facts, etc., that cannot be changed; they simply exist and the sum total
of their effects constitute reality or truth.  These are not limited to
physical or mathematical laws and principles, but also include social and
spiritual laws and principles.

The knowledge or belief of one person, or the combined knowledge or beliefs
of billions of people, cannot alter truth (remember Columbus?).  Either the
moon is made of cheese or it isn't.  Either the earth is round or it isn't.
Either the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, or it isn't.
Either there is a God or there isn't.

Each person's _perception_ of truth is based on their own experience, feelings,
and knowledge.  And I have no doubt that our own perceptions and beliefs
can have a great "effect" on our lives.  But perception doesn't alter fact.
It has been shown that various witnesses of the same accident or crime can
see (perceive) different things, but this doesn't change what really happened.

Also, truth is universal; there is one reality and all truth intricately
combines to form that reality.  The result: two conflicting ideas cannot both
be true (although they may both be false).

In my opinion, the pursuit of science, and our own personal pursuit, should
focus on the _discovery_ of truth.  It is futile to attempt to _establish_
truth.  We of necessity must live our lives based on our own perception of
truth.  We should be careful not to make the mistake, however, of stubbornly
continuing to believe the world is flat when it may indeed be round, or
omnisciently eliminating the possibility of the existence of God when we
really don't know.

Paul A. Thomas

I reserve all rights to this opinion.
You come up with your own.