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jeff(fake)Scientist of Fortune
1,189 posts
Location: Edinburgh


Posted:
Hi all,

In my time on HOP I've seen the topic of science pop up again and again. However, it is invariable in a defensive position, coming under fire from all sides. I'd like this to be a thread in which to celebrate science, rather than deride it.

Science is a major target for people whos beliefs clash with many of the established facts in science, since if science is right it means that they are wrong. I'm sure people aware of what happens when you try to have a conversation about politic or religion with someone whose views differ from your own. As soon as the question of 'why?' arises most people become threatened and defensive, as if you are attacking them personally. Science is the process of continuously asking 'why?' and this I believe is why so many people attack it so vigourously.

It has become popular to say that since science hasn't been completly accurate in the past that everything we know today should be disregarded and that all statements about the world should be given equal respect. I'm aware that philosophically we cannot say with 100% certainty that anything is 'true', however I don't believe that since there is a tiny chance that something may be wrong that it follows instantly that it is wrong. Every day of our lives the sun has risen each morning(unless you've been in the arctic circle wink ). There no garentee that the sun did this in the past or will do so tomorrow but the vast bulk of evidence suggests that it will and I have no problem in saying that the sun will rise tomorrow.

It is likely that certain parts of science are incomplete or inaccurate but it is very unlikely that major parts are completely wrong. I know many of you have beliefs which rest on parts of science being wrong, but I am afraid to say that it is you who are almost certainly wrong.

Lastly I'd like to adderess the notion that science is subjective and if someone believe is something then this will change the outcome of and experiment. Whilst this is an interesting concept it doesn't explain how two labs carrying out independent experiments and opposite ends of the globe with no prior beliefs about the outcome produce similar results. It also misses the rather undesputeable fact that a mass of m travelling at a velocity of v smacking into a white scientist has much the same effect when it smacks into a Chinese acupunctureist or an African tribes man who has had no experience with what is called 'western science'.

Sorry if my thread is a bit hard to follow but I'm not very good at writting essays. redface

All those who believe in psychokineseis please raise my hand... biggrin

According to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle of Quantum Dynamics, we may already be making love right now...


JilavreGOLD Member
32 posts
Location: Echuca Country Victoria, Australia


Posted:
*shuffles in*

Hi, currently trying to finish off an undergraduate degree in Biochemsitry and Biotechnology type things. I've been doing this university thing for *counts of fingers* god that can't be right, well let's just say since 1999 (that way it doesn't sound quite so bad) so I think I'm in a good place to make a comment about science.

I don't think the problem is with the field of science per se, but the way it's communicated to the general public, and heck even other scientists!

AND one of my pet peeves in regards to the two universities I've had experience with, is that in my degree there was no ethical component.
I could be experimenting on animals almost daily (or with bits of animals) and yet never have to give a second thought to the ethical (or otherwise) aspects of my behaviour. I think it's outrageous!

Anyway, you've all put things much more eloquently than I ever could, so I think I'll trail off now. Thanks for not booing me off the stage. redface

IcerSILVER Member
just a shadow of my former self...
205 posts
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand


Posted:
no ethics at ur uni's? thats strange. ive onl ybeen to one in the Canterbury, in New Zealand, and we had ethics to deal with when we did things with animals. as far as i know, you have to go thru a whole lot of stuff to do things to vertebrates, but you can do almost anything to inverts, apparently they dont feel pain (which is load of censored if you ask me). thats one reason why i reason i stopped working with animals after getting my zoo and eco degrees.

im not sure if the ethics we had to deal with were just this uni or if the was a wider ethics agreement. i wouod look into it tho. as far as i know, you can do almost anyhtig to animals, ONCE you go thru an ethics committee.

It took a while, but once their numbers dropped from 50 down to 8, the other dwarves started to suspect Hungry.


NucleopoiBRONZE Member
chemical attraction
1,097 posts
Location: Ilkeston, Derbyshire, England


Posted:
wow iv never seen this thread before

i LOVE science especially chemistry

i think i am the HoP caemistry freak lol

Nell.woz.erePLATINUM Member
&*(%^&JHGBiguijuHGFHFGijgkfrpojknf5uyy&%798ij\;LLKKLF?l@~o{~l';U(*^&%uyfgj:@980hooH&*TgHUHK Jones.
18 posts
Location: Midlothian


Posted:
mmm, science aims to be objective, impartial and consistent in its method of study.

Its a nice thought. wink

Heal the world by introducing someone to flow..


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
I have my M.S. in molecular biology.

Science rulexxorz!!!!

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


robnunchucksBRONZE Member
enthusiast
363 posts
Location: manchester uk


Posted:
Science is actualy simmilar to alot of beleaf systems e.g. main stream religion, new-age, black magic, ESP, UF0s etc. all of them are atempts to explain the world and or natural phenominon.



the brake though of science wasn't comeing up with ideas about how the world worked it was puting method in place to identify self-deception and mistakes. it was the elimination of ideas like a sculptor chiping away the stone he doesn't want leaveing only the finished statue to me this makes science great.



HORRRAY FOR SICENCE FOR LETING YOU READ THIS smile





and let me chime in with i love quantum mechanics, evolutionary biology and complexity theory for been some of the most facinateing and mind blowing concepts i've been exposed to in my life i think my first sparks of understanding regarding quantom theory and evolutionary biology seemed like what people discribe when talking about religous experiances smile



oh and one last thing a little fact that blew my mind gravitational energy is actualy negative energy for reasons to lengthy to explain here but someone once worked out the amount of gravitation energy in the universe and the result they got was



-MC^2 (when enstine was told this he stoped dead in shock in the middle of crossing the road and was almost run over) biggrin
EDITED_BY: robnunchucks (1180441840)

My nunchucks vital statictics biggrin

weight: 500g
handle lenght: 16 inches
chain length: 2 inches


robnunchucksBRONZE Member
enthusiast
363 posts
Location: manchester uk


Posted:
lol almost but in the end i went with inteligent systems enginering biggrin

My nunchucks vital statictics biggrin

weight: 500g
handle lenght: 16 inches
chain length: 2 inches


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