Life After Death

[Carol]

In science forums, there is usually a standard that is maintained, and mods can give warnings or close threads and even ban people who do not adhere to that standard.

Assuming what another thinks is not good argumentation form and it is not science unless maybe you are trying to prove you are mind reader?

I will be glad to make an argument that is on topic, when I see an argument that is on topic and connected with science.

I wonder if John Edwards has the ability to know things that can not be known through normal means. I have linked to his demonstration of this. It is believable to me because I have had experiences that lead me to think it is possible to communicate with deceased people. However, I doubt that our consciousness can exist without our material bodies? I think it would be awful to be dead and aware of our loved ones struggling in life and unable to do anything about it, and hope this does not happen, but John Edwards says they do watch over us. I do not know what is so wihtout a doubt, so what argument would you like me to make?

A science argument would be science. Accusing John Edwards of doing wrong, is not science.

[Syne]

Sorry, but your personal and unverifiable experience is anecdotal. I've never seen John Edward without what I assume is likely a paying or registered audience. That means that between internet info from credit card/registration, cold reading, and the priming effect of people seeking such closure, he has all the info he needs to give a convincing reading.

[Carol]

Sorry, but your personal and unverifiable experience is anecdotal. I've never seen John Edward without what I assume is likely a paying or registered audience. That means that between internet info from credit card/registration, cold reading, and the priming effect of people seeking such closure, he has all the info he needs to give a convincing reading.

Why did you feel a need to tell me the obvious, "your personal and unverifiable experience is anecdotal."  Sorry, but you are reading with your eyes.  

[Syne]

Some people drastically overestimate the evidentiary power of their own experience.

[Carol]

Some people drastically overestimate the evidentiary power of their own experience.

What is more empirical, what we experience or someone else's opinion?  

empirical em·pir·i·cal (ěm-pēr'ĭ-kəl) adj. Relying on or derived from observation or experiment. Verifiable or provable by means of observation or experiment. Of or being a philosophy of medicine emphasizing practical experience and observation over scientifictheory.

Empirical | Define Empirical at Dictionary.com
www.dictionary.com/browse/empirical

[Magical Realist]

Some people drastically overestimate the evidentiary power of their own experience.

And others drastically overestimate the evidentiary power of what they're told by their culture.

[Syne]

Some people drastically overestimate the evidentiary power of their own experience.

What is more empirical, what we experience or someone else's opinion?  

empirical em·pir·i·cal (ěm-pēr'ĭ-kəl) adj. Relying on or derived from observation or experiment. Verifiable or provable by means of observation or experiment. Of or being a philosophy of medicine emphasizing practical experience and observation over scientifictheory.

Empirical | Define Empirical at Dictionary.com
www.dictionary.com/browse/empirical

What we experience that can be verified by many others is verifiably empirical. The empirical denotes things like scientific experiment that can be repeated by anyone to arrive at the same conclusions. A scientific theory is a evidence-supported explanation. It differs from the purely empirical in that it posits relationships not immediately obvious.

[Carol]

Some people drastically overestimate the evidentiary power of their own experience.

What is more empirical, what we experience or someone else's opinion?  

empirical em·pir·i·cal (ěm-pēr'ĭ-kəl) adj. Relying on or derived from observation or experiment. Verifiable or provable by means of observation or experiment. Of or being a philosophy of medicine emphasizing practical experience and observation over scientifictheory.

Empirical | Define Empirical at Dictionary.com
www.dictionary.com/browse/empirical

What we experience that can be verified by many others is verifiably empirical. The empirical denotes things like scientific experiment that can be repeated by anyone to arrive at the same conclusions. A scientific theory is a evidence-supported explanation. It differs from the purely empirical in that it posits relationships not immediately obvious.

And where does opinion fit?

[Syne]

Some people drastically overestimate the evidentiary power of their own experience.

What is more empirical, what we experience or someone else's opinion?  

empirical em·pir·i·cal (ěm-pēr'ĭ-kəl) adj. Relying on or derived from observation or experiment. Verifiable or provable by means of observation or experiment. Of or being a philosophy of medicine emphasizing practical experience and observation over scientifictheory.

Empirical | Define Empirical at Dictionary.com
www.dictionary.com/browse/empirical

What we experience that can be verified by many others is verifiably empirical. The empirical denotes things like scientific experiment that can be repeated by anyone to arrive at the same conclusions. A scientific theory is a evidence-supported explanation. It differs from the purely empirical in that it posits relationships not immediately obvious.

And where does opinion fit?

Your definition didn't mention opinion. Without any evidence, your opinion is no better or worse than any other. But when evidence supports a preponderance of opinion, if yours differs then it is not compelling. For example, the world-wide preponderance of opinion is that god exists. But even though I agree with this opinion, I recognize that no hard evidence supports it in a compelling way.

[Carol]

Well, empirical information is off topic, but things are slow so maybe we can make something good out of it? The word obviously comes from "empire" and speaks of the days of old when people thought it was by God's will that the empire has absolute power.

I am okay with a belief in God, but I am opposed to God of Abraham mythology. The masses accepting those religions in the past makes sense, but it is hard to understand why these beliefs still have mass appeal?

So how much have you paid attention to messages from the deceased, such as a last visit from a deceased loved one? Have you ever had an experience like that? I am going on the notion that the forum is causal and especially this part of it is for weird things. I was the thinking the goal here is to have fun. Do you think there is life after death? As I said, I am not sure but I wonder if it is possible.