Ungodly people use many tricks to turn people from the teachings of Christ. They try to discredit the Bible. This is an example from the book “Real Faith & Reason”
(quote from RealReality.org/Real_Faith_and_Reason_Vol_2_-_Scientia.pdf)
Berkeley uses the logical fallacy of equivocation to confuse thinking about assumptions. Equivocation blurs the distinction between two different things. It gives an illusion that two different things are the same thing. In this case, Berkeley uses the word “assumption” for two different things.
- They use the word “assumption” for made-up stuff.
- They use the word “assumption” for real stuff.
The following quote from the Berkeley website will illustrate the problem:
Much as we might like to avoid it, all scientific tests involve making assumptions — many of them justified. For example, imagine a very simple test of the hypothesis that substance A stops bacterial growth. Some Petri dishes are spread with a mixture of substance A and bacterial growth medium, and others are spread with a mixture of inert substance B and bacterial growth medium. Bacteria are spread on all the Petri dishes, and one day later, the plates are examined to see which fostered the growth of bacterial colonies and which did not. This test is straightforward, but still relies on many assumptions: we assume that the bacteria can grow on the growth medium, we assume that substance B does not affect bacterial growth, we assume that one day is long enough for colonies to grow, and we assume that the color pen we use to mark the outside of the dishes isn’t influencing bacterial growth. ~ Berkeley Website, Making assumptions
Let’s examine these so-called assumptions.
We assume that the bacteria can grow on the growth medium
That’s a lie. We don’t assume the bacteria can grow on the growth medium. We wouldn’t introduce too many unknowns at once. That would be sloppy science. We would have tested this growth medium to make sure the bacteria could grow on it. Then we wouldn’t have to assume it. We wouldn’t make this assumption.
Ungodly thinkers do make REAL assumptions. For instance, ungodly scientists assume things like the existence of a real-world, the reality of math, and the reality of logic. And they assume naturalism, materialism, and uniformitarianism. However, they don’t assume the bacteria can grow on the growth medium.
We assume that substance B does not affect bacterial growth
They wouldn’t assume that either. They don’t just grab some random substance B without knowing what they’re grabbing so they have to assume. Instead, they use a substance they’ve repeatedly tested using the scientific method. Then they can make sure it doesn’t affect bacterial growth.
We assume that one day is long enough for colonies to grow
They wouldn’t have tested their hypothesis on bacteria with an unknown growth rate, but they would have known the growth rate. Even if they don’t know how long it takes, they first perform a separate experiment to find out how long it takes. So they would have tested the growth rate by previous experiments using the same bacteria and growth medium to determine the growth rate. After they test how long it takes, they don’t have to assume the growth rate. Rather, with a known growth rate, they set the time to a period they know is long enough for the experiment.
We assume that the color pen we use to mark the outside of the dishes isn’t influencing bacterial growth.
Again, they wouldn’t make this assumption. What lab would throw an untested pen into the mix? What lab wouldn’t know whether the experiment is bringing meaningful results?
They can test every one of these so-called assumptions. And yet, they call them “assumptions.” They aren’t real assumptions. That means Berkley uses a fuzzy definition of the word “assumption.” Using this fuzzy definition results in equivocation. It’s deceptive. Here’s how the deception works.
- They call these testable known facts “assumptions.” [They aren’t assumptions, but they call them “assumptions.”]
- Calling known, testable facts “assumptions” gives the illusion assumptions are just as good as known facts. [But assumptions aren’t as good as known facts.]
- Then they also call untestable statements “assumptions.” They introduce real, off-the-wall assumptions. For instance, they assume naturalism, materialism, and uniformitarianism.
- They treat those real, off-the-wall assumptions as if they’re the same as known facts.
- They then bring real, off-the-wall assumptions as evidence for untrue stories.
First, the website shows students known facts but calls those known facts “assumptions.” This confusion of the word “assumptions” deceives the students to think assumptions are just as good as known facts. Next, the schools ask the students to accept real, off-the-wall assumptions. The students think assumptions are just as good as known facts. Once students believe that, the schools can deceive the students. They can lead those students anywhere they want them to go.
Sadly, this teaching destroys the ability to think rationally, so the students are less able to tell the difference between good and evil, truth and error, or reality and make-believe. In the end, the students lose their ability to think clearly. Many universities and colleges educate students into ignorance.
So we see the paragraph from the Berkeley website is a magic trick, an illusion. And illusions deceive. Many students won’t detect the illusion, so, even if we explain how the illusion works, students may find it confusing.
Let’s look at some real assumptions with no basis in fact:
- Assumption: We can make valid assumptions without proof.
- Assumption: Science provides the most reliable knowledge about reality and how it works.
- Assumption: There’s no spiritual realm.
- Assumption: We must base all reason on assumptions.
- Assumption: God can’t affect or control scientific inquiry.
- Assumption: God doesn’t reveal reality to human beings.
- Assumption: The Holy Spirit doesn’t lead, teach, and correct followers of Christ moment-by-moment in every situation.
- Assumption: Natural processes are sufficient for understanding the natural world.
- Assumption: There was no Genesis Flood.
- Assumption: There’s no God.
- Assumption: No one can know God.
- Assumption: All natural processes continue at the same rate from the beginning. That means the Genesis Flood didn’t happen.
No one can verify these assumptions because they consist of made-up stuff. They’re unproven claims. On the other hand, the so-called “assumptions” in the quote from Berkeley aren’t assumptions at all. Rather, they’re known facts. And yet schools like Berkeley use the same word to describe two opposites:
- Made-up stuff
- Knowledge God revealed using the scientific method.
The Berkeley site implies there’s no difference between empirical science and made-up stuff. They also apply the word “science” to observation and made-up stuff. In this way, they lose their ability to discern between reality and make-believe. And then they impose this lack of discernment on their students. So students bring this disconnection from reality into their adult lives, jobs, social relationships, ethics, and morality.
