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At that time, so many extraordinary things were found in the world, that to not believe might be more foolish. Most of today's fruit and vegetables originated
by hyperpallium2 5y ago
At that time, so many extraordinary things were found in the world, that to not believe might be more foolish.
Most of today's fruit and vegetables originated outside England (e.g. potato, corn, avocado, tropical fruits); consider Australian animals, like the Kangaroo and Platypus (thought a hoax!); consider inventions like gunpowder, noodles, hot-air balloons, steam engines. Some of these were late 18th century, but signs of the times.
If all these fantastical things were true, what other strange thing might also be?
- technothrasher 5y ago> At that time, so many extraordinary things were found in the world, that to not believe might be more foolish. The time to believe something is after sufficient evidence of it. Before that point, it is definitely not more foolish to withhold belief. > If all these fantastical things were true, what other strange thing might also be? This reasoning is only as true as its opposite. Surely you'll accept that many other fantastical things were not true, so what other strange things might also not be?
- AbrahamParangi 5y agoPascal’s wager applies, as it does in startups as well. Not believing will make you right much of the time, but much of the value of being right lies in believing true things that others don’t (meaning have an obscured or otherwise inaccessible evidentiary basis).
- geuis 5y ago> gunpowder, noodles, hot-air balloons, steam engine Your examples are flawed. Gunpowder was known and used for centuries at that point. Hot air balloons were invented in France in the 17 hundreds. Steam engines were invented in Britain. You might have something on noodles, but it’s a minor thing.