[Vision2020] Ripping the Easter Bunny's Head Off : Was:Of, By &

[Joe Campbell]

Dave,

I agree with you, sort of, BUT I would make two points.

1/ It cannot possibly be the case that "Accepted theories are only accepted 
after ALL the alternative theories are proven false." For any one theory there 
are an infinite number of alternatives. Showing that all of them are false 
would be impossible. Things like simplicity, explanatory power, etc. play a 
role in our choice of one scientific theory over another. This goes beyond 
empirical confirmation or refutation.

2/ Science never proves anything only if your standard for proof is 
demonstrative certainty (such as we find in math and formal logic). If the 
standards are loosened -- induction, abduction, inference to the best 
explanation, etc. -- you'd have to admit that science proves some things.

--
Joe Campbell

---- Dave <tiedye at turbonet.com> wrote: 

=============
Sorry Rodger, but this is incorrect as well (and a pet peeve of mine).

Science, with the exception of some Mathematics, does not ever "prove" 
anything.  Science is function of disproof.  Accepted theories are only 
accepted after ALL the alternative theories are proven false. But still 
they are only considered accepted theories, never a "proof". 

So to restate your sentence correctly one could say "Science is based on 
disproving the negative based on repeatable results."

For some reason it seems that few people other then scientists 
understand this vital concept.

Dave


lfalen wrote:
> Donovan
> You are correct in that you can not prove there is no god. Science does not work that way. It is difficult if not imposable to prove a negative. Science is based on proving a positive based on repeatable results. This is why any religious belief should be separate from science. Both have value but should not be mixed together.
> Roger
>   


-- 
Windows, OSX, or Linux is the same choice as:
McDonalds, Burger King, or a (real) Co-Op.

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