• gregorum@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      22
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      I don’t think this is true. “Why” questions merely need to be translated from the abstract to the tangible in order to be tested.

      Perhaps you meant the philosophical and/or metaphysical? Even then, sometimes it’s just a matter of translating an abstract concept into something tangible to test. But, yes, some questions simply cannot be answered by science. But that doesn’t mean that a system of logic and testing cannot still be applied to find a reasonable answer. Even then, the scientific method can serve as a guide.

      Truth in any context will always rely on facts, what can be proven by attainable evidence. Let logic be your guide. Fear no knowledge. Always remember to be good and empathetic and kind with that knowledge.

          • protist@mander.xyz
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            5
            ·
            8 months ago

            But how do you define “facts?” And how do you define “truth?” And how do you define “is?”

          • asdfasdfasdf@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            8 months ago

            I think the point is this is paradoxical. Everything must be proven by facts and we cannot trust any general, abstract statement of its own accord, then how can we prove “everything must be proven by facts and we cannot trust any general, abstract statement of its own accord”? What if that’s a wrong assumption?

            Maybe the truth is we don’t always need to rely on observable facts, but we don’t know that because we’re making the aforementioned assumption without having any proof that it’s correct.

            • auzas_1337@lemmy.zip
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              3
              ·
              8 months ago

              axioms have entered the chat

              The deeper you go in the why territory, the more abstract and tangental your axioms get.

              So yeah. All facts and truths ultimately rest on foundations that are either kinda unobservable or unproven. Doesn’t make them less practical or true (by practical definitions) though.

        • Dr_Satan@lemm.eeOP
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          To get a fact out of an observation requires interpretation and a desire-to-interpret. It’s observation translated into dreamstuff.

    • humorlessrepost@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      “Why”, when distinguished from “how”, is asking about the intent of a thinking agent. Neuroscience, psychology, and sociology exist for when thinking agents are involved. When they’re not, that type of “why” makes no sense.

    • Krudler@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      I think that’s because there is no answer to “why” - At least not one that would satisfy the human mind.

      The best we are ever going to be getting is “it just is”.