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Understanding through Discussion


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Author Topic:   Open minded?
NosyNed
Member
Posts: 8996
From: Canada
Joined: 04-04-2003


Message 16 of 20 (102174)
04-23-2004 12:10 PM
Reply to: Message 15 by jar
04-23-2004 10:06 AM


Re: How Science Corrects Our Understanding
You have a point. But I think it depends on whether we take science as the body of knowledge or the process.
I think as a process it corrects our understanding.
As for discovering something NEW, no. It is already there. But the process of uncovering it and working out the HOW changes our understanding.
I didn't sleep enough last night. I'm not sure I'm making sense.
Help! Let's have some of the very clear thinkers come up with a title. (Sylas, Mark, Crash, Bill, Eta, .... almost everyone else )

This message is a reply to:
 Message 15 by jar, posted 04-23-2004 10:06 AM jar has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 18 by jar, posted 04-23-2004 12:38 PM NosyNed has replied

  
Loudmouth
Inactive Member


Message 17 of 20 (102177)
04-23-2004 12:25 PM
Reply to: Message 15 by jar
04-23-2004 10:06 AM


Re: How Science Corrects Our Understanding
quote:
but I have always seen it in the other direction. How understanding corrects our Science.
Is Science the driving force is it the result of understanding?
Do Scientists discover something NEW, or do they simply observe something and then try to understand HOW that came to be?
Science has quite a few theories which cover quite a few phenomena. At this point, scientists are looking for data that doesn't fit into their models, otherwise known as falsifying evidence. Finding data that doesn't fit the model is kind of the Holy Grail amongst scientists, it guarentees a long and fruitful career and maybe even a new theory named after themself.
This is a point that not a lot of creationists understand. Scientists WANT to find data that doesn't fit a model or theory. Once they discover this falsifying evidence they will be the first to propose a new theory or model, a quite prestigious position to be in.
I would say that scientists try first to fit new data into the current model or theory. If it doesn't fit, then new hypotheses are put forth and those hypotheses are tested using a broader data set.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 15 by jar, posted 04-23-2004 10:06 AM jar has not replied

  
jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 18 of 20 (102180)
04-23-2004 12:38 PM
Reply to: Message 16 by NosyNed
04-23-2004 12:10 PM


Re: How Science Corrects Our Understanding
quote:
You have a point. But I think it depends on whether we take science as the body of knowledge or the process.
I think as a process it corrects our understanding.
As for discovering something NEW, no. It is already there. But the process of uncovering it and working out the HOW changes our understanding.
And I think that is part of the problem. We get used to speaking in a shorthand, one that we seem to understand based on context and often use the same term for two different things.
There is Science that is the body of knowledge and there is the Scientific Method that is the process we use.
Unfortunately, many people confuse the two and we ourselves often use the terms only relying on the context for clarity.
I guess, what I an saying is that the Scientific Method corrects our Understanding and our Understanding corrects Science.
Did that make any sense at all?

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

This message is a reply to:
 Message 16 by NosyNed, posted 04-23-2004 12:10 PM NosyNed has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 19 by NosyNed, posted 04-23-2004 12:58 PM jar has replied

  
NosyNed
Member
Posts: 8996
From: Canada
Joined: 04-04-2003


Message 19 of 20 (102184)
04-23-2004 12:58 PM
Reply to: Message 18 by jar
04-23-2004 12:38 PM


Re: How Science Corrects Our Understanding
It makes a lot of sense. It just doesn't tell me what the darn title should be.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 18 by jar, posted 04-23-2004 12:38 PM jar has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 20 by jar, posted 04-23-2004 1:33 PM NosyNed has not replied

  
jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 20 of 20 (102188)
04-23-2004 1:33 PM
Reply to: Message 19 by NosyNed
04-23-2004 12:58 PM


Re: How Science Corrects Our Understanding
Well, I think the Title is just fine. It's not often that we get a chance to be obtuse and fuzz. We need to enjoy every such opportunity.

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

This message is a reply to:
 Message 19 by NosyNed, posted 04-23-2004 12:58 PM NosyNed has not replied

  
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