[ExI] A Simulation Argument

Harvey Newstrom mail at harveynewstrom.com
Sun Jan 6 06:48:57 UTC 2008


Ian Goddard wrote:
>  Right, I agree with your overall point, but the first
> assumption is not 'flawed' because it merely assumes.
> Assumptions are just * assumptions *. And so classic
> logical-argumentation structure is: IF assumption x is
> true, THEN... leading by rules of deduction from x to
> such and such other statements.

Look up the terms "vacuous truth" and "counterfactual conditional".  There
are classical logical fallacies where the major premise is assumed to be
true or proposed to be true rather than actually being true.

> The purpose of deductive argumentation is to see
> where we can go IF we accept some assumption(s) as
> true. It is informative to me that we can go from an
> assumption that reflects classical physical theory to
> a conclusion that the world is not a real world.

No, the purpose of deductive argumentation is to deduce further facts from
existing known facts.  The major premise must be true for the argument to be
true.  If the major premise is assumed, it is called "begging the question"
or "circular logic" where the assumption is made first, and then the
argument is derived from the assumption.

-- 
Harvey Newstrom
CISSP CISA CISM CIFI NSA-IAM GSEC ISSAP ISSMP ISSPCS IBMCP






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