Why do people say "Anything's possible" or "Nothing's impossible" when it's not true?

It is hyperbole.

Most people are very pessimistic about their possibilities. Such sayings are meant to inspire people to be bolder and attempt more.

Plenty of things have been “proven” to be impossible in the past - only to have been achieved later on, (i.e. proved possible after all).

The square root of (+4) is (+2) or (-2) ….. either is possible. It is not difficult to “prove” that there is no real number that is the square root of (-4), and your calculator probably throws out an “error code” if you try to get it to solve √(-4) , …..

However, I routinely do mathematical problems using “imaginary numbers” like the square root of (-4) and also give real world interpretations of the meaning of solutions that are in such a “non-real” or “imaginary” format.

For the record, in “rectangular form”: √(-4) = (0 + i2) or (0 - i2)

and in “polar form”: √(-4) = (2∟π/2) or (2∟3π/2)

and an infinite number of additional solutions - all totally predictable and capable of being interpreted and understood.

I would be interested to hear of examples of things that are genuinely impossible beyond any dispute.

– Best wishes - Majikthise.

There are several things that are impossible. For example, You can’t jump off of a 10,000ft.+ building, hit the ground, and survive. You can’t eat 1 million pudding cups, and keep it down. Etc…. Yes, those are ridiculous hypothetical situations…but they are in fact impossible…and so are many other things.

Whereas I know what you mean, let us take your first example:

Buildings are now routinely built now that are much taller than was previously thought possible, I see no reason in principle why a 10,000 foot building could not be built, or a smaller building put on top of a peak (like Mount Everest) and then have someone jump off the top of it and eventually land on the ground.

If jumping with a hang-glider is allowed, there is no reason whatsoever why they could not land on the ground 10,000ft or more below without suffering any ill effect. Here is an article about a guy who used a hang-glider to descend from Mount Everest:

http://funadvice.com/r/bf6nd2442h0

In case you want to suggest that a hang-glider is cheating, I would suggest that humans are mammals, just like flying-squirrels are. I see no reason in principle, why a human embryo could not be genetically modified in such a manner as to produce a small lightweight human with tissue flaps similar to a flying squirrel that would enable that man to jump confidently from a height of 10,000 ft and glide safely to the ground.

I do not consider your other example to be impossible either.

– Best wishes - Majikthise (who more or less believes that nothing is impossible)

Of course some could hang-glide off of a building, or mountain…that is not what I said though. It is impossible for a normal person, without anything like a parachute, hang-glider, etc…to jump off of a very tall building or mountain…hit the ground (which would go SPLAT!), and survive.

Because nothing is provably impossible!!!

There are several things that are impossible.

OK how about someone who really HAS fallen more than 10,000 ft without the aid of a functional parachute or any other aid to safe descent, and still survived after hitting the ground ?

http://funadvice.com/r/14n2f6h8lea

As I said, I believe anything is possible, and maybe you should too. Where is the harm in it anyway? If you believe everything IS possible it means you don’t give up all hope when confronted by something that looks like it ought to be impossible.

Personally if I die with hope in my heart fighting against impossible odds, I would die happy with that hope still giving me the strength to persevere until the end.

Without such hope I would die in misery believing that I was a lost cause.

I know which way I would rather go.

– Believe it - Majikthise.

This guy survived because his parachute reduced his falling speed, and he didn’t hit the ground. If he had no parachute, and he hit the ground…I am sure he would not have survived. So, I still believe that what I said is impossible…until proven otherwise.

people r attempting to be upbeat and it makes them feel better by saying that

It’s meant for encouragement. It’s like when people say ‘it’s all going to be ok’. Or it can’t get worse’ in order to comfort. No one knows if it’s going to be better, and things can always get worse. But that’s not the point. It’s just meant to encourage. The nice thing about the human brain is that we are able to stretch to beyond the literal. Well I mean that does tend to happen at around 12/13 (kids have a harder time with it), but anyways point is people dont always speak literally. It’s just a figure of speech. As far as battles go, maybe pick another one?

Is so you can do better on things, so you get that spark that makes you want to do it. Most of the time things can be done, all you really need is sopport and a mind and heart set to it.

To inspire people, also I don’t think it was meant to be taken litterally. When I hear that I think of the saying that anythings possible if u put ur mind to it, Of course some things arent possible but why go around saying that that can’t be acomplished and that’s impossible, when u could tell yourself that it is and end up doing something amazing.