Scientific results are not matters of faith. The belief that science is the best way to understand the world in general, and make things better, could be seen as one.
statue of baphomet in detroit - discuss civily
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Scientific results are not matters of faith. The belief that science is the best way to understand the world in general, and make things better, could be seen as one.
tomBitonti
Adventurer
I always thought about this as a belief that the universe is effectively knowable, and that reason is a sufficient and effective tool to obtain knowledge.
A problem with science is that for some people it doesn't work, because of a limit of their reasoning abilities, of because of bad training, or because of emotional interference.
Thx
TomB
A problem with science is that for some people it doesn't work, because of a limit of their reasoning abilities, of because of bad training, or because of emotional interference.
Thx
TomB
MechaPilot
Explorer
I have contended before that science is a religion.
The belief of the "religion of science" is that the entire universe obeys laws that are predictable, knowable, and observable (with the right equipment), even if we currently do not know what all of those rules are.
The belief of the "religion of science" is that the entire universe obeys laws that are predictable, knowable, and observable (with the right equipment), even if we currently do not know what all of those rules are.
Henry
Autoexreginated
The scientific method, by definition, involves only repeatable experiments. If there were a phenomenon that was not repeatable, and your explanation did not abide by existing theories and "laws", then it cannot be accepted.
(I use "law" loosely here because by definition there is no principle that could NEVER be dismissed, only theories that have been proven by experiments for a very long time)
If, tomorrow, a universal phenomenon were revealed that was predictable, observable, AND repeatable, then science would have no choice to accept it with no question. The process of being accepted might be long (takes a while to confirm with those experiments of course) but by definition it would be accepted.
Scientific Method is the ultimate "verify, then trust", which is why some people treat it as a religion, they forget to "verify" - in a religion, "trust" is essential, but the "empirically verify with repeatable experiments" is not.
That said, I am a person of Faith, though I consider myself a fan of science because of the improvement of our way of life because of it. What I'm not a fan of is violator's of Wheaton's Law in pursuit of either Science or Faith because, "I know I'm right! I speak the Truth!"
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That is kind of like saying basketball doesn't work, because not everyone can slam-dunk.
How many people who can't play basketball worth a darn are still fans, even aficionados, and pay close attention to the sport? Being able to do it and being willing to follow it aren't generally connected.
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
An on the science of electricity:
How many people cannot grasp how electricity is distributed in a city, industrial complex or residential unit; How it applies force of energy to produce work; how it is harnessed - yet there are such fellers as my self that not only grasp it, but apply it in the field of commercial electrician work.
I am but one of millions of an army of of electricians in the USA alone.
I know there are sciences that I do not understand. Most to be precise. I Know there are aspects of the electron I am completely clueless about.
I only use this one bit of the one science as an example of how people who do not understand electricity still can be great admirers of it. I say this as I type on the 'miracle of the transistor' even Instead of the huge clunker of a typewriter I used in the Air Force)! Not to mention the AC that I hear running and the fan I know is twirling behind me on the ceiling.
Edit: Ps, sorry for rambling there.
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tomBitonti
Adventurer
Having things around you work without understanding how they work can be disempowering.
And science is not just how electricity works. It's also about thinking through statements about economics, or evolution, or climate instability.
TomB
And science is not just how electricity works. It's also about thinking through statements about economics, or evolution, or climate instability.
TomB
Economics is something I have a degree in- it's not really a science.
Yes. Quite literally. Our species isn't the strongest, or the fastest, or the sneakiest, or what have you. We are the smartest, the most able to manipulate the environment. If your species strength is manipulating the world, and you don't understand the world, you are less powerful.
But, thankfully, you are not alone! You are part of a tribe, and entire nation, that has people doing science for you! They figure out the how, and we can all cooperate on the actual work, and thus we are empowered.
So, you then get to choose where to put your faith - into your fellow humans, or something else that makes you feel empowered.
I think of it this way...
We have science in physics. We have pretty solid theories there that cover wide realms of the world, that can predict the movement of planets, sofas, atoms, and electrons.
In Economics, we don't have a solid theory that reliably predicts much of anything, on any scale.
That doesn't mean that Economics isn't science. It means that it isn't yet *useful* science.
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