Existence!?
Ok, I completely understand that the evidence used to favor that the Ivory-billed Woodpecker does exist isn't very concrete although the evidence isn't concrete to prove that the bird doesn't exist. Either way no one side seems to be stronger than the other. I don't think either side can truly say that it does or doesn't exits. The Debate will continue until an Ivory-Billed woodpecker lands on a researchers head while a video camera is rolling!!!!:) After reading the evidence it seems that some articles and opinions are just there to try to prove the other side wrong. Is every piece of evidence really trying to prove it does or doesn't exists, or just trying to prove that others are wrong and they are right!?
Comments
Oh I agree with you completely! That was going to be the basis of my paper, but I couldn't get enough evidence to support it. But I totally agree with you. The skeptics of this argument only refute the evidence that the believers provide, and have no hard evidence themselves. I tend to believe the bird does not exisit, but at least the believers have hard evidence and make a logical argument (though very tainted by emotion).
Posted by: Jenn Bentley | October 17, 2006 9:39 PM
The fact that the evidence towards the birds existence is weak proves that the bird is still extinct. Arguing that the bird is still extinct without weak evidence of the other side would be pratically impossible. And the purpose of an agrument is to prove that the other side is wrong, and you do so by using the other sides's evidence to make your claim stronger.
Posted by: Jennifer Hartwig | October 18, 2006 10:08 PM
I think that there is plenty of evidence to prove that the bird is indeed still extinct. Believers are trying to strengthen their case by presenting lots of weak evidence, but a bunch of weak evidence combined together cannot take the place of a small amount of strong evidence. If the IB still existed then why don't they have any proof? If it still extisted then they should have pictures along with other forms of evidence. There have been so many "sightings" of the IB, but no one is coming away with any strong evidence.
Posted by: Erin Ostrowski | October 19, 2006 12:18 AM