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    #11
    Originally posted by doodab View Post
    That is a problem with public perception of science, not science itself.
    To an extent yes, and scientists continually find ways to test seemingly untestable theories, but the further we get into the realms of multiverses, additional dimensions & hyper-energy entities, the harder it gets. Furthermore, the measurements and techniques get more and more complicated so we mere mortals have to place ever increasing faith that what the scientists tell us is actually true.
    Originally posted by MaryPoppins
    I'd still not breastfeed a nazi
    Originally posted by vetran
    Urine is quite nourishing

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      #12
      Originally posted by BrilloPad View Post
      bollux. you think we are ever going to know how the universe started?

      Its tough enough finding out how cuk started.
      Science is about probabilities. 'proof' is a subjective assessment - we can never prove anything with absolute certainly (like the moon isn't made of cheese), other than things which are a priori truths to begin with (e.g. 1 + 1 = 2).

      Al we can do is say that something is so probably true that we are happy to consider it as being true, or that something is so unlikely that we can reasonably consider it to be false.

      Supposing that we will never find out how the universe started says nothing about the science of studying how it may have started. Just because the degree of certainty when it comes to the probabilities is uncertain, doesn't make it not science. Or even bad science.

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        #13
        Originally posted by BrilloPad View Post
        bollux. you think we are ever going to know how the universe started?
        Believing we will never know requires just as much faith as anything else.
        While you're waiting, read the free novel we sent you. It's a Spanish story about a guy named 'Manual.'

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          #14
          Originally posted by d000hg View Post
          Furthermore, the measurements and techniques get more and more complicated so we mere mortals have to place ever increasing faith that what the scientists tell us is actually true.
          Or we need a higher standard of education so that we don't get left behind.
          While you're waiting, read the free novel we sent you. It's a Spanish story about a guy named 'Manual.'

          Comment


            #15
            Originally posted by doodab View Post
            Or we need a higher standard of education so that we don't get left behind.
            We're so wealthy now compared to a few hundred years ago because of division of labour. Science will be no different (i think) so I don't think education will help.

            I would say, though, that we will have to 'trust' scientists, rather than have 'faith' in them. I think it's a subtle, but important difference.

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              #16
              I don't mean trust that they're not lying... often you are not directly measuring stuff but measuring the effect it has on something else. As we get further and further away from laboratory conditions, this can be more than one level deep... we think X does something that will cause Y, and Y will cause Z which we can measure, so if we see Z X has happened. But are we 100% certain X does cause Y when we can't measure that directly either, and that Z can only happen due to Y.

              The complexity in measuring is mindboggling, read anything about how the LHC detects Higgs and it's astounding.
              Originally posted by MaryPoppins
              I'd still not breastfeed a nazi
              Originally posted by vetran
              Urine is quite nourishing

              Comment

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