The fallacy of Backward Probability Calculation

Picture of Heath Ledger playing as the Joker character in The Dark Knight (2008) movie. He is holding a Joker card in his right hand while looking into the camera with a red smile carved on his face as in the movie.

By Eric Bright

Here is a simple puzzle for you with deep implications.

I have a deck of Bicycle cards with 52 cards plus two ? Jokers (a black and white and a coloured one), as well as one Bicycle ? introduction card, and an advertising card (56 cards in total).

I have been shuffling them for the past two months or so. Today, I got the following sequence of cards:

K♥, 5♠, 6♦, 5♥, 8♠, 7♦, K♣, 8♣, A♠, 4♥, 2♥, J♥, 8♦, ?C, 3♠, Q♦, ?B&W, A♥, 5♦, A♦, 9♠, Q♣, 2♣, 10♣, 3♦, K♠, J♦, 7♥, ?-ad., 9♦, 7♣, A♣, 3♥, J♣, 8♥, 4♣, 3♣, 4♦, 2♠, 10♠, ?-intro, Q♠, 9♣, 6♣, 10♥, 7♠, J♠, 4♠, 6♠, 5♣, 6♥, 10♦, 9♥, Q♥, K♦, 2♦. read more...

Please cite this article as: Bright, Eric. (2018) The fallacy of Backward Probability Calculation. BlogSophy. https://sophy.ca/blog/2018/12/the-fallacy-of-backward-probability-calculation/

The sky will fall if you keep religion out of philosophy. Seriously!

By Eric Bright

When I suggested that we ought to keep philosophy and philosophy communities and forums clear of religious discussions, I was greeted by comments similar to the following comment.

Kierkegaard is often considered to be a “Christian Existentialist.” How is one to discuss Kierkegaard without drawing on Christianity? One of his most famous books (Fear and Trembling) is about Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son Isaac. How can ‘Fear and Trembling’ be discussed without “appealing to religion to prove a point” [he’s citing me saying that somewhere else]? read more...

Please cite this article as: Bright, Eric. (2018) The sky will fall if you keep religion out of philosophy. Seriously!. BlogSophy. https://sophy.ca/blog/2018/11/the-sky-will-fall-if-you-keep-religion-out-of-philosophy-seriously/

Is it possible to prove a negative?

Note: words in italic are technical terms with clear definitions in logic, which I’m going to omit explaining. Words in bold are substitutes for logical symbols with clear definitions and functions, which I’m going to omit explaining.

There are different kinds of impossibilities. One is physical. Another one is logical. Logical impossibilities are impossible, no matter what, no matter where, no matter the circumstances, no matter the universe, no matter the laws of nature, and no matter anything else. They are impossible and that’s the end of story. read more...

Please cite this article as: Bright, Eric. (2017) Is it possible to prove a negative?. BlogSophy. https://sophy.ca/blog/2017/12/is-it-possible-to-prove-a-negative/

Defining “GOD”

The book I have worked on for the past three years is finally finished and ready for order. You can find it here.

It was a journey! From start to finish, everything is done by myself and my partner (she created the gorgeous cover and the logo for Bright Press. She also proofread the book for me).

A similar work has always been on my mind for many years. With ignosticism turning to my main focus for the past three years, I found myself in need of a reference framework for the concepts discussed in ignosticism. However, there were none. Nothing philosophical enough at least. read more...

Please cite this article as: Bright, Eric. (2015) Defining “GOD”. BlogSophy. https://sophy.ca/blog/2015/02/defining-god/

Je Suis Charlie!

By Eric Bright

If westerners’ knowledge of the Christian faith is of any indication, then we don’t know anything about Islam. Most educated people in the west don’t know anything about Christianity in spite of the fact that many of them are Christians, go to churches, and pray. If Christians who practice it do not have any clear idea about what it is that they are practicing, if most of them are completely illiterate in regards to their faith, what is in the Bible, and what Christianity teaches, then how do you expect them to know anything about Islam? read more...

Please cite this article as: Bright, Eric. (2015) Je Suis Charlie!. BlogSophy. https://sophy.ca/blog/2015/01/je-suis-charlie/