Subject:
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Re: Science and beliefs (was Re: Alien races)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Thu, 5 Apr 2001 18:23:39 GMT
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Viewed:
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565 times
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Dave Low also wrote:
> Most scientists think about the world in terms of falsifiable theories,
> rather than beliefs as such.
Here's something my brother Ken wrote that pertains to the subject... Food
for
thought.
--Ryan
"Many have made reference to facts of science, etc, or understanding of the
universe, as if they speak a definite, proven message. But, indeed, they
don't, for all the observed facts of science don't say anything definite
other than about the immediate items they address. It is interpretation of
facts to put many of them together and say they support this or that view,
or to even say one proven fact proves a slightly more removed idea.
"As any person thinks about the world, whether scientist or otherwise, there
is always an element of personal beliefs that enters the picture. I do not
mean religious beliefs, merely, I refer to taking observable facts, put with
unobservable extrapolations, and combined with guesses and other conjectures
influenced by the way the person wants to think. When talking about
origins, nothing can be proven, in the sense of being able to directly
observe, or repeat the processes. When there is no final proof, any
conclusions that seem final have been developed out of what a person
believes, in order to come to a conclusion that is not actually proven. To
say that the life on earth has evolved, for example, can be accepted as true
only by belief, since science has not repeated it, or observed it directly.
"Evidence that supports a conclusion never proves it. It is only a direct
observation or repetition (and hence observation) of a process or event that
proves the event can happen. So there is always a measure of doubt as to
the truth of the conclusion from only supporting evidence, and it takes a
certain kind of 'faith' to believe sincerely that the conclusion is true.
In the courtroom, when there is a criminal trial, for example, no one there
can go back and observe what actually happened. All the jury has to base
their decision on is supporting evidence presented. In a similar way to
science, they have to come to a conclusion which is ultimately taken in
'faith,' even though based on the evidence they have seen."
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Science and beliefs (was Re: Alien races)
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| This is the same old Creationist dodge: (X) scientific theory isn't PROVEN (nothing is in science - it simply shows you don't understand science when you say such things) so it's just as much an article of faith as religion. Except one is based on (...) (24 years ago, 5-Apr-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Science and beliefs (was Re: Alien races)
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| (...) Hi Ryan, This isn't exactly what Selçuk asked, but it's a similar sort of question. Most scientists think about the world in terms of falsifiable theories, rather than beliefs as such. So here's my question: Under what circumstances would you (...) (24 years ago, 5-Apr-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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