What science is and what it isn't

There seems to be some misconceptions about what science is, and what should and shouldn't be taught in science class.

What determines whether or not something is scientific is whether or not is can be subjected to the scientific method.

For those who need a refresher, the scentific method is this:


The very first question you need to ask is "can it be tested?" Science is the process of testing hypotheses. A hypothesis is an assumption based upon observation and research.

Something becomes "scientific proof" once the hypothesis has been replicated ("proven") in experiments repeated times. This is what scientific proof means, that experiments have yielded the same results that were expected to be yielded, and have done so repeatedly under controlled, laboratory conditions. This also means that by definition, something cannot be scientific proof if it cannot be invalidated by new findings.

The concept of concrete proof is unscientific by nature, because we will always receive new information and will always be updating our scientific beliefs based upon this new information, invalidating what we thought to be "true" before. This doesn't mean that what we believe to be "true" now has no value, it means that science is constantly evolving, and this is what stands up to the test of the scientific method right now, with the data that we have and the scientific instruments that we have available.

Something that cannot be subject to the scientific method should not and cannot be taught in science class, because science doesn't tell us what IS, science tells us "this is what we theorize to be true based upon how our human instruments measure the data we have at this specific point in time". Anyone who thinks science tells us what IS doesn't understand science.

C.

Quoting God:“ There seems to be some misconceptions about what science is, and what should and shouldn't be taught ... [snip!] ... the data we have at this specific point in time". Anyone who thinks science tells us what IS doesn't understand science. C.”

Thank you for posting this. I think people forget what science really is.

Quoting Dev22:“ Thank you for posting this. I think people forget what science really is.”

No problem. It was prompted by your post on creationism (though you probably figured that).

heh

C.

Quoting God:“ There seems to be some misconceptions about what science is, and what should and shouldn't be taught ... [snip!] ... the data we have at this specific point in time". Anyone who thinks science tells us what IS doesn't understand science. C.”

That's pretty straightforward.. Dunno how much debating this will garner.. *shrug*

How was your Canada day my fav-o-rite canoook?  

Do you guys make delicious cookie pizzas like we do with the strawberries and blueberries - just ommiting the blueberries?  

Quoting ~*~HautéMama~*~ BISH!!:“ That's pretty straightforward.. Dunno how much debating this will garner.. *shrug* How was your Canada ... [snip!] ... Do you guys make delicious cookie pizzas like we do with the strawberries and blueberries - just ommiting the blueberries?  ”

We mostly forgot it was Canada Day, heh.

Though I did at one point remember to congratulate Canada for making it another year without getting blown up or other similar calamity.

You'd like to think it was straightforward, but people seem to keep arguing to have all kinds of things taught in science class, which don't belong in science class because you can't test them, heh.

C.

I would love to see someone question this. It is so straight forward.

Quoting Mrs. C:“ I would love to see someone question this. It is so straight forward.”

I'd be willing to bet we'll get at least one person who wants to, though.

Quoting Carla Ann:“ I'd be willing to bet we'll get at least one person who wants to, though.”

Thats becuase science cant be proven JUST LIKE RELIGION. They are totally the same.  

lol. This is why you have the right to be called God.  

But...but...the flying tree octopus IS real!!!

http://www.lakelandschools.org/EDTECH/webdetechtor/SaveThePacificNorthwestTreeOctopus.htm

Quoting CatLuvr83:“ But...but...the flying tree octopus IS real!!! http://www.lakelandschools.org/EDTECH/webdetechtor/SaveThePacificNorthwestTreeOctopus.htm”

I personally believe in the church of the flying speghetti monster. THAT is real and factual. http://www.venganza.org/

Quoting Dev22:“ I personally believe in the church of the flying speghetti monster. THAT is real and factual. http://www.venganza.org/ ”

Pastafarians....idiots    

I want pasta now.

spider goats.

Quoting God:“ There seems to be some misconceptions about what science is, and what should and shouldn't be taught ... [snip!] ... the data we have at this specific point in time". Anyone who thinks science tells us what IS doesn't understand science. C.”

     
Good post.