Quote:
Originally Posted by IAmAnonymous
Yes it does. Thanks to science and medicinal studies, we have learned that you can check a pulse to see if someone's heart is still beating, and if they are alive or dead.
A body is laying on the ground, the doctor checks his pulse. "Is he still alive doctor?" "Negative."
How about STD tests.
"Doctor, do I have herpes?" "No, your test results came back negative."
That is not what is meant by "proving a negative". What you describe are negative results of testable positives.
Ex. 1: Is he alive? (this is question about a positive, being alive). The response is "negative", but the question or hypothesis is a testable positive.
Ex. 2: Do I have herpes? (again, this is a question about a positive).
An example of proving a negative is
Russell's Teapot or
The Dragon in my Garage. Two points are made with these examples. One is that you cannot prove a negative. The other is that the onus of proof is on the one making a claim.
So, although science cannot prove a negative, it doesn't need to. The burden of proof is on the religious.