How do we know Santa Claus doesn't exist?

[Sanoy]

Okay, guys. All you have to do is prove that Santa does not exist.
Try it, and the you might find the similarities to Jesus popping up.

Try and prove Alexander the Great existed, or anything for that matter. Maybe your absolute epistemology is the problem.

 

[InterestedAtheist]

I mean that historical, cultural, social, metaphysical, and axiological analysis of any concept, whether it's "Mr. Santy" or any other metaphysically inclined figure, is needed. Read into my meaning here: philosophical evaluation and one's existential feelings all need to be taken into consideration.

Yes, if by my saying 'yes' ALSO implies that you even know what my argument from Beauty even entails and where it begins and where it ends. Thus far from your responses, I'm not sure you do understand, and moreover, I really get the sense that you don't really care to understand either. But.............I could be wrong.

An argument that is employed in the consideration of one's own potential faith in some metaphysical entity isn't necessarily one that will convince another. Rather, when articulated by someone such as myself, it merely expresses my own thinking and gives others a possible similar model by which to make further considerations that they might also not have heretofore considered. I'm not saying that an argument from Beauty alone is going to be decisive on any particular issue. I'm merely saying that when it comes to either Jesus or Santa Claus, there is an Argument of Beauty involved as BUT ONE aspect of my overall engagement with these concepts as a thinking, breathing adult.

Ergo, you haven't really even engaged here, so I'm not sure you're as up to speed with all of the nuances of the thread as you seem to be spitting forth that you are.

...they're not intended to deceive. I think you're just behind in the game, that's all. Time for you to catch up!

I never said I believe in Jesus Christ, or Saint Nick for that matter, for a ridiculous reason, especially not for any one singular ridiculous reason. But, if you don't want to try to understand another person's point of view in full, no one's going to force you to. On the other hand, if you persist in your remaining ignorant of another person's position, then no one will be forced to go forward with you in discussion either.

Oh yes, Philo. I'm sure you have a great many reasons for believing in Jesus Christ. It's a common fallacy among Christian apologists: they think that poor evidence somehow increases in quality if it accumulates. I'm sure you have the cosmological argument, and the teleological argument, and the moral argument, and the fine tuning argument, and many another. Unfortunately, all the arguments I've heard from Christians for the existence of God can be quite easily debunked.

Would you care to join in the point of the thread, by the way, and disprove the existence of Santa?

 

[InterestedAtheist]

?

Children, Tom. I'm talking about children.

Ignore him, Tom. He's not really "interested" like he says he is in his screen name.

Catch up, Philo, do. It's a game we're playing. That's what the thread is for. The title does give you a clue, you know.

Try and prove Alexander the Great existed, or anything for that matter. Maybe your absolute epistemology is the problem.

Why should I? Maybe Alexander the Great didn't exist.
He probably did, of course. Otherwise all of the evidence for his existence would need some explaining.
I, however, am firmly convinced that Santa Claus does exist. And I must say, my belief has been considerably strengthened since coming here and seeing how nobody can disprove his existence!

 

[Kenny'sID]

You assert that a source that any person in the world can edit is a reliable and trustworthy one? Why, I've seen times on Wikipedia when it posted material that had already been thoroughly debunked!

Will you please simply show me where the article is in error?

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Oh yes, Philo. I'm sure you have a great many reasons for believing in Jesus Christ. It's a common fallacy among Christian apologists: they think that poor evidence somehow increases in quality if it accumulates. I'm sure you have the cosmological argument, and the teleological argument, and the moral argument, and the fine tuning argument, and many another. Unfortunately, all the arguments I've heard from Christians for the existence of God can be quite easily debunked.

Actually, no, I don't rely on those arguments, and I'm not really a Christian Apologist. You've apparently mistaken me for someone else. Of course, with my red cape and all, I get that quite a bit.........................................................................

Would you care to join in the point of the thread, by the way, and disprove the existence of Santa?

Since some folks here apparently need silver bullet answers to make "meanings" become more clear, and since those same folks claim they need to ask questions anyway, while yet quite ironically also often claiming that they don't have the time to really delve into the answers, then I'll just provide the following assertion (which I hope is more clear):

Although Santa Claus is but a fun figment of yuletide cheer, Saint Nicholas himself yet lives!

Of course, at the same time, I'm also going to make the additional assertion that Positivism is indeed dead. [Here lies Mr. Positivist! ]

 

[InterestedAtheist]

Actually, no, I don't rely on those arguments, and I'm not really a Christian Apologist. You've apparently mistaken me for someone else. Of course, with my red cape and all, I get that that quite a bit.........................................................................

Since some folks here apparently need silver bullet answers to make "meanings" become more clear, and since those same folks claim they need to ask questions anyway, while yet quite ironically also often claiming that the don't have the time to really delve into the answers, then I'll just provide the following assertion (which I hope is more clear):

Although Santa Claus is but a fun figment of yuletide cheer, Saint Nicholas himself yet lives!

Of course, at the same time, I'm also going to make the additional assertion that Positivism is indeed dead. [Here lies Mr. Positivist ]

If you do have an argument for believing in God that I haven't heard, I'd be delighted to know what it is.
And if you don't have a reason to believe in God...then why do you?

Also, can you prove that Santa doesn't exist?

 

[InterestedAtheist]

Will you please simply show me where the article is in error?

Don't need to. Engaging with Wikipedia is beneath the notice of any self-respecting Santa-ist (is that what we call ourselves?)

 

[2PhiloVoid]

If you do have an argument for believing in God that I haven't heard, I'd be delighted to know what it is.
And if you don't have a reason to believe in God...then why do you?

Also, can you prove that Santa doesn't exist?

If Positivism is dead, and I think it is, then there's no need for proof. There's only the need to do a historical study and find that there's a lot more evidence available for seeing the fictional development that has emanated from an old, dead Christian man than there is for Jesus.

Don't you just love it when we can say, "For assertion X, there's just not much historical evidence for Jesus"?

 

[InterestedAtheist]

If Positivism is dead, and I think it is, then there's no need for proof. There's only the need to do a historical study and find that there's a lot more evidence available for seeing the fictional development that has emanated from an old, dead Christian man than there is for Jesus.

Don't you just love it when we can say, "For assertion X, there's just not much historical evidence for Jesus."

Well, if you can't prove that Santa doesn't exist, I'm free to keep on believing in him!
Perhaps you should keep an open mind on the subject, eh? Otherwise, you may wake up one Christmas morning with your stocking full of coal!

 

[Tom 1]

Children, Tom. I'm talking about children.

Catch up, Philo, do. It's a game we're playing. That's what the thread is for. The title does give you a clue, you know.

Why should I? Maybe Alexander the Great didn't exist.
He probably did, of course. Otherwise all of the evidence for his existence would need some explaining.
I, however, am firmly convinced that Santa Claus does exist. And I must say, my belief has been considerably strengthened since coming here and seeing how nobody can disprove his existence!

Post 141

 

[Tom 1]

Children, Tom. I'm talking about children.

Catch up, Philo, do. It's a game we're playing. That's what the thread is for. The title does give you a clue, you know.

Why should I? Maybe Alexander the Great didn't exist.
He probably did, of course. Otherwise all of the evidence for his existence would need some explaining.
I, however, am firmly convinced that Santa Claus does exist. And I must say, my belief has been considerably strengthened since coming here and seeing how nobody can disprove his existence!

Ok, to play the game, your criteria (in the game) for believing something is that it cannot be disproven? Or is there a corresponding requirement of proof?

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Well, if you can't prove that Santa doesn't exist, I'm free to keep on believing in him!
Perhaps you should keep an open mind on the subject, eh? Otherwise, you may wake up one Christmas morning with your stocking full of coal!

I'm glad to hear you sincerely believe in Santa. That's great and I wish you a very Merry Yuletide in that case!

And if you're right, maybe I should think harder about why my stocking never gets stuffed at Christmas?

 

[Kenny'sID]

And never has been.

Don't need to. Engaging with Wikipedia is beneath the notice of any self-respecting Santa-ist (is that what we call ourselves?)

Thanks just the same.

 

[InterestedAtheist]

And never has been.
Thanks just the same.

No problem!

 

[Tom 1]

If you do have an argument for believing in God that I haven't heard, I'd be delighted to know what it is.
And if you don't have a reason to believe in God...then why do you?

Also, can you prove that Santa doesn't exist?

Well, I have established a belief that you, Mr Interested Atheist, if I can call you that, are a collection of posts on the internet, amounting to something slightly above the level of what I’ll call randomly generated. What would you offer as definitions of your existence beyond that?

 

[BigV]

And what would that be?

Actually? Nothing.

But whose believers give him credit for everything.

 

[InterestedAtheist]

Post 141

Maybe the reason that adults don't get presents from Santa is because they don't believe in him. That sounds logical to me!

Ok, to play the game, your criteria (in the game) for believing something is that it cannot be disproven? Or is there a corresponding requirement of proof?

Of course not. If it was, I'd believe an awful lot of strange things, many of them mutually exclusive.

I'm glad to hear you sincerely believe in Santa. That's great and I wish you a very Merry Yuletide in that case!

Thank you very much! and the same to you.

And if you're right, maybe I should think harder about why my stocking never gets stuffed at Christmas?

If you like, I'll write to Santa about you in my Christmas letter.

Well, I have established a belief that you, Mr Interested Atheist, if I can call you that, are a collection of posts on the internet, amounting to something slightly above the level of what I’ll call randomly generated. What would you offer as definitions of your existence beyond that?

No need for the Mister, Tom. We're all friends here.
And why should I? You are free to believe I'm not a person if you wish.

 

[Sanoy]

Why should I? Maybe Alexander the Great didn't exist.
He probably did, of course. Otherwise all of the evidence for his existence would need some explaining.
I, however, am firmly convinced that Santa Claus does exist. And I must say, my belief has been considerably strengthened since coming here and seeing how nobody can disprove his existence!

I didn't see any attempt to prove anything, rather it seems you abandoned that epistemological requirement all together. So now I am back to trying to figure out how Jesus compares to Santa Claus.

 

[Tom 1]

Maybe the reason that adults don't get presents from Santa is because they don't believe in him. That sounds logical to me!

Yes, it’s a dreadful shame. I’ve always thought so.

And why should I? You are free to believe I'm not a person if you wish.

You’re shutting me down before we even got started, that could have been interesting.

 

[InterestedAtheist]

I didn't see any attempt to prove anything, rather it seems you abandoned that epistemological requirement all together. So now I am back to trying to figure out how Jesus compares to Santa Claus.

I didn't say I wanted to prove anything. I just said that I believe Santa exists, and invited you to show me if I was wrong. It seems that you can't.
And if you can't figure out how Jesus compares to Santa Claus, well, maybe you haven't been on this forum long enough to see how many Christians talk. If I had a dollar for every time I was told "You can't prove that God, or Jesus, doesn't exist, therefore I'll believe in Him," I'd...well, let's say I wouldn't have enough fingers and toes to count my money!

Yes, it’s a dreadful shame. I’ve always thought so.

Well, perhaps if you believe again, then you will!

You’re shutting me down before we even got started, that could have been interesting.

I'm sure you'll understand, Tom, that as someone on a worldwide forum I have reasons for not wanting my real identify to be known. Sorry about that. Otherwise, I could just give you my skype address, say, and you could talk to me.
Also, one question at a time.