A question about the definition of impossible.

Just because something hasn't been done yet can you call it impossible? No matter how bizzare can anything be called impossible?

Originally posted by Zort Boy
Just because something hasn't been done yet can you call it impossible? No matter how bizzare can anything be called impossible?

(1) If the only reason is that 'it has never been done' then it's no way to tell if it's impossible or not.

(2) If it violates the laws of the nature, known or not, then it is truly impossible.

Is a law of nature fact only because a better explanation of a given event hasn't been found?

Originally posted by Zort Boy
Is a law of nature fact only because a better explanation of a given event hasn't been found?

A law of nature is absolute regardless if man has found it or not, formulated it as a law or not.

Originally posted by Zort Boy
Just because something hasn't been done yet can you call it impossible? No matter how bizzare can anything be called impossible?

We can call anything we like 'impossible'. Whether or not it is impossible may be unknowable, but I think that in some cases we can be pretty sure. Certainly I am very very sure that there are some things that are impossible and I am equally sure that I know some of them.

Originally posted by Zort Boy
Just because something hasn't been done yet can you call it impossible? No matter how bizzare can anything be called impossible?

If you agree that falsifiability, not verifiability, is the demarcation criterion then no logically possible statement is empirically impossible.

So only logically contradictory statements/things can be said to be "impossible".