Search the Community

Idk

Very often, people will post rocks that they are certain are fossils but which the rest of the community can see is not. At some point, they seem to follow a pattern. These are some common arguments that I have witnessed being employed: 1. If you could see this in person you would see that it is (whatever I say it is and not what you say)… This amounts to: take my word for it since I have it and you don’t. The power of this argument is that anyone possessing first hand knowledge, i.e. access to the specimen, has authoritative knowledge that trumps everything else. Almost no one is going to travel to wherever this person is to see it in person and verify. If we take this argument at face value, if it can’t be verified, the only option left is to trust whoever can see it in person, which is the OP. 2. You would be able to see that this is… but you are all too closed minded to see it. At its most basic, this is an ad hominem attack. You don’t agree with me, therefore you are closed minded and therefore wrong. This has nothing to do with the facts of whether it is a fossil or not. Ad hominem attacks go both ways. If we are closed minded for not agreeing with you, the reverse holds true: you are closed minded for not agreeing with us. Think about it: you say A, but 20 other people say B. Who is more likely to be correct and who is closed minded? This usually leads to: 3. There is a conspiracy that prevents you from acknowledging my discovery, most likely out of your jealousy Oftentimes linked with #2. Conspiracy theories are popular on the internet because they often challenge you to disprove them rather than the conspiracy theorists needing to provide evidence. Merely trying to disprove a conspiracy theory only legitimizes it, because doing so tacitly recognizes it. If it were completely false, why waste your time refuting it unless you have a vested interest in suppressing it? On the flip side, if no one bothers to refute it, is that evidence that it is generally accepted by everyone? Its a lose-lose situation for the rational. All I can do is repeat a quote from my college mentor: “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.” Absent that, it is the fevered ravings of the darkest reaches of human ignorance. 4. I am (list qualifications and/or honors to establish credibility), therefore, whatever I say must be true and this is a fossil. Fallacy of authority. This is akin to, “Don’t worry I’m a doctor.” Doctors can be wrong. Even in the field they are specialists in (that’s why we get second or third opinions). You may be a doctor, perhaps even the smartest person in your field, but you are still human and therefore can still be wrong. This is where scientific consensus comes in. One person may be wrong, but it is much less likely for the majority of the community to be wrong. The qualifications of the claimant have nothing to do with the veracity of the claims. The claims should be evaluated dispassionately, regardless of the claimant and the consensus opinion of qualified individuals is more likely to be correct. 5. Post a picture of a figure in a legit scientific paper. Claim analogy and your rock is a fossil. Variation of the fallacy of authority (see #4). It goes according to this, “I am savvy enough to do research and post references. Therefore, whatever I say must be true.” The figure you cite may be real, but it is completely different from your specimen. What about the figure you cite makes it analogous to your specimen? What features are analogous? The scientific process is not a test, whereby you provide an answer and it (and whatever you say) is automatically correct. Rather, your claim is suspect until you provide proof. Upon furnishing proof, it will be evaluated. If the consensus agrees with you, that is the working answer until better proof comes along to upend it. I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting but I’ll update with more when I remember them.

Could this actually happen in reality?

I love this place for accepting anyone with an interest! From everyone who knows, or doesn't know... ...sees it or does not... ....wether we buy from the web or collect from the ground... ...lurker or MOTM... ...believe a way or don't... ...write as a professional or dream as an amateur... ...thank you. Fossil on (and take good notes), -P.

I am trying to figure out what kind of fossil this is.

Hello I see a lot of this fossils on ebay and some with good prices , are they real or not ? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-BIG-Chinese-Best-Triassic-Keichousaurus-Real-Turtle-Fossil-FREE-SHIPPING-/321348971186?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ad1e42ab2 Thanks for your time.