Believe in science & ethics

last SG · 2007-08-17T14:02:49+00:00

The scope of science is very wide.It includes social sciences such as sociology,psychology and politics.

Othello_Red SG

Science is Man's way of explaining things. So I have to agree with you that without Man, there is No Science.

Also, one thing we have to keep in mind is that Science is fallible. There were periods of time where Science was thought to be so advanced that there was nothing left to discover. Now we know that that isn't true.

Science is a great way of explaining things. However, Science must always be treated with caution.

soul_rage SG

We need to bring 2 main arguments into perspective, which I see is the gist of this thread on Science

1) Things that Today's Science can explain
2) Things that Today's Science cannot explain

Notice my use of the word "Today"

For (1), even if Science can explain NOW, we may find out that it is incorrect sometime down the road later, because Science is all about research and trials. Discoveries being announced to the world is done only after some intense trial and error has been performed (and subject to the commercial and pragmatic limitations of society), but that doesn't mean that it is 100% error-free. We all know there are many announced discoveries that were proven to be incorrect sometime later.

For (2), things that Science cannot explain, doesn't mean it cannot be done, or it doesn't exist. For example, ghosts. Who dare say with 100% certainty that ghosts do not exist because science cannot prove it? Also, many of the great researchers of the past had to struggle with their repeated failures, before finally being able to prove or perform something.
So if they had given up inventing the light bulb, for instance, would the believers of Today's Science then say that its not possible to create the light bulb?

Science is THE way to explain MANY things, but its important for one to keep an open mind in order to understand things beyond Science's explanation.

Othello_Red SG

The easiest way to show that long held scientific beliefs can be wrong, even after hundreds of years of testing is the theory of gravity.

Unbeknownst to most, the Newtonian theory of gravity we all learn in school is flawed. It was unchallenged for hundreds of years because the technology to discover those flaws was not developed yet.

If I'm not mistaken, the flaw in Newton's theory of gravity became glaringly obivous when blackholes were discovered. Einstein was the one who came up with a more complete theory then could explain that, and even then there are still things not covered under his theory.

Herzog_Zwei SG

Simply said, as suns and stars die, they collapse into themselves. At a slower rate, they simply form pulsars but if they exceed chandradaskar's constant, they collapse so fast that they warp space-time, hence forming black holes. If we use fusion nuclear reactors which work similarly to nuclear reactions in stars and suns then get ready for a black hole to replace earth.

soul_rage SG

I know about the formation of black holes. But I highly doubt Earth will be replaced by a black hole. More likely, Earth will be destroyed when the sun's exterior explodes in its final stage.

What I am more interested about is
"Relativity is one otherwise, we would be causing a blackhole to appear."

I do not understand your statement "relativity is one otherwise" Otherwise what? The previous poster din make much sense, doesn't mean you must be like him.

PRP SG

Science: Knowledge arranged in a system,esp knowledge obtained by observation and testing of facts. --from a dictionary

So any opinion or finding which is not a fact can't be included as science.

soul_rage SG

What is a fact?
How do you know for sure a fact is a fact?

A fact is an absolute truth. How do you know that what you know now is the absolute truth?

And thanks, you have confirmed from your own posting that Science is human-driven. Observations and testing are all performed by humans. Without humans, there is no Science.

So that already kill off someone here saying that Science has been here long before Man was here.

Herzog_Zwei SG

What kind of nuclear reactors do we have? Theory of Relativity help predicted the dangers of fusion reactors...

Fingolfin_Noldor SG

Er.. What??!

Relativity predicts the dangers of fusion reactors?!?!?

I would be more worried about containing the plasma, and some of the high velocity neutrons which are capable of irradiating the containment vessel, than worry about relativity.

In fact, it is the fusion in the stars that is keeping the stars from collapsing.

Herzog_Zwei SG

Irradating the containment vessel? The vessel may be consumed by the reaction itself.

Fingolfin_Noldor SG

That only happens only if the electromagnetic fields which contain the plasma fail. Otherwise, it is highly unlikely they will escape the containment fields.

PRP SG

I think Newton's theroy of gravity is still fundamentally correct.Secondary students learn it nowadays,don't they?

PRP SG

Soul_rage,

Science is correct & believable.Not all human being can be trusted.We can't trust every person but science is meant to be true.

Would my above opinion end our debate?

Fingolfin_Noldor SG

To be more precise, Newton's Theory of Gravity is an approximation at smaller dimensions and lower velocities. At larger spatial dimensions and relativistic speeds, Einstein's General Theory of Relativity comes to the fore.

Othello_Red SG

Leave it to the physics experts. Mr. Green I barely scrapped through.

Biology used to be my forte, but I haven't been keeping up with developments lately.

PRP SG

Pls answer: Is Newton's Theory of Gravity still true?Do secodary school students learn and use the theory?

Fingolfin_Noldor SG

It's true within certain limits. Calculating the gravitational attraction between two masses is ok enough, but when you are talking about precision, relativity has to be used.

It's fine enough to teach students this, but when you get to more precise calculations, you have to use relativity.

In any case, you certainly cannot teach relativity to kids. The math is hedious. I only so far scratched a little of the surface.

iveco SG

Not in Arts? Laughing

soul_rage SG

Science MAY BE correct & believable.

IF you can't trust people, and people are the drivers of science, how can you say Science is correct with so much absoluteness?

If you are such a firm believer of Science, then you should not forget the basics of logic Mathematics
1) Your statement says Science is 100% CORRECT
2) Not all human beings can be trusted
3) Science is HUMAN-DRIVEN
4) Since NOT ALL human beings can be trusted, THEREFORE Science CANNOT be 100% CORRECT and BELIEVABLE
Therefore your statement 1) cannot hold true.

Herzog_Zwei SG

And of course, the ambient environment around has the appropiate energy levels for the reaction to continue. Mr. Green

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