The Philosophy Thread

[Heartlet Happer]

How much evidence is needed before we can say that something is truth?

For hard science they required 5 sigma.

What degree of uncertainty doesn't shake the foundation of a truth?

The p-value of around 0.0000005 or less for null hypothesis will not shake the foundation of truth.

Its example numbers from Higgs boson discovery story.
Let me edit it later, after I figure the definition of null hypothesis thing. Then I will give an example, easy for me to understand.

 

[Riddley Walker]

That's interesting. But what if there is overwhelming evidence for something I know? How much evidence is needed before we can say that something is truth? What degree of uncertainty doesn't shake the foundation of a truth?

I get it, but that's why we talk about probabilities instead of hard truths. You can have a thousand pieces of evidence that support a certain conclusion but it only takes one piece of evidence to shatter that conclusion.

The other thing is --- what is the quality of the evidence? Anecdotes are not evidence, neither is hearsay. But human nature treats anecdotes and hearsay as a kind of proof. Anecdotal evidence is a kind of fallacy argument. It says "I know a guy who kissed his own ass so that means anybody can kiss their own ass. This is a case of self delusion and it is a limiting factor on subjective truth.

Not everyone's subjective truth carries the same integrity so we can't say that it's a universal guide to truth. It's only as good as the individual's ability to interperate their sensations accurately or without bias.

 

[GrahamLewis]

. But what if there is overwhelming evidence for something I know?

Who gets to decide that evidence is "overwhelming" in support of anything?