Here’s a false syllogism I keep seeing assumed behind various comments (usually, comments from those who concur with what is being called New Atheism).
- Science has discovered many truths about reality
- Science will discover many more truths about reality
- Therefore science alone is sufficient to explain all reality
1. and 2. are true. Still, 3. does not follow. The conclusion, statement 3, introduces ideas not at all part of the two initial statements – science alone, and all reality – and therefore not valid logical inferences.
This is not a new mistake: witness the logical positivists (brief & free definition here). This blog suggests it’s a mistake that will recur, and then be followed by the obvious rebuttals.
There’s nothing new under the sun. Even in anti-God rhetoric.