Science

[Talking Heads]

....he's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy....

[Bibio]

the problem with science is scientists. they spend their life theorising the possibility, write a paper on a subject then are proven wrong.

or in the case of Einstein who theorised the existence of things and was told he was wrong when all along he was right.

all science is theory until its proven.

[Talking Heads]

Originally Posted by Bibio

all science is theory until its proven.

Then someone comes along finds out something new and it becomes unproven and on it goes.

[ophic]

Originally Posted by Bibio

all science is theory until its proven.

Not quite right.

Nothing is ever proven to be "the way it is".

All scientists do is come up with theoretical models that help or enable us to predict results. Most of these only work under specific (and well published) circumstances.

Later research often improves on these models to broaden the circumstances in which they apply. It doesn't make the older model wrong, it just makes it obsolete. Great examples - Newtonian vs Einsteinian physics, or classical vs quantum mechanics.

Older models are often still kept because they're a lot simpler to work with. It's why you don't bother equating the speed of light into terrestrial speed & distance calculations, or quantum wave functions into circuit design. Usually.

So all that ever proven is that a model or theory works in the prescribed circumstances. That's science for ya.

[ophic]

Oh and don't ever believe what the media reports about "science". The articles usually start with "scientists have proven that..."

It's hardly any wonder that the general public have great misconceptions about it. Most journalists that report on it either don't have a clue or are trying to make an interesting story. Mostly both.

Gets my goat.