* prove it!

question: how can one 'prove' (to the average joe) the following:

1. there is no santa claus, or big foot, or lock ness monster, etc.

2. reindeer do not fly, and there is no toy factory at the north pole.

3. "______" does not exist.

4. the earth is not flat.

5. the moon landing was real.

answer: you can't. 

critical thinking, however, examines claims (such as those above) by examining similar and associated claims by those who might benefit from your belief in the claim.

in regard to santa, for example:

• many of those who told you about santa... later admitted that they were, uh, kidding.
• you have never seen a reindeer fly; you have never seen a reputable video of flying animals (outside of birds & 'flying' squirrels); and you have experienced gravity.
• you deduced that 'magic' (as in magical candies that make reindeer fly) is a trick.
• you've observed the tellers of the stories... uh, lying about other things. 
• you've lied about santa, yourself.  you've been part of the deception! 
• you've seen many, many men in fake santa suits.

so.  although one can't definitively 'prove' that santa doesn't exist, one can arrive at a logical deduction.