Does this method apply to all fields, such as historical sciences, or quantum theory?
I may be wrong, but I don't think is history is a science, but an art (one of the humanities): I've never heard of anyone gaining a BSc in history. It certainly applies to quantum theory, so far as we can observe events at that level.
even if all the data point to an intelligent designer, such an hypothesis is excluded from science because it is not naturalistic.
Could we know a little more about Mr Todd, and the context of the quote? A link would be nice.
Obviously, then, naturalism is not a deduction from experimental observations but a defining philosophy, right?
That would depend on if Mr Todd's quote is representative of all scientists, which I doubt. I'd suggest a different quote, if we need one:
Francis Bacon writes:
There are and can be only two ways of searching into and discovering truth. The one flies from the senses and particulars to the most general axioms: this way is now in fashion. The other derives axioms from the senses and particulars, rising by a gradual and unbroken ascent, so that it arrives at the most general axioms last of all. This is the true way, but as yet untried.
Although he should have left the chicken alone.
Who knows how much has been excluded over the years from many different fields of science all in the name of the scientific method.
Yeah, I always wanted one of those pyramid-power razorblade shapeners, but they don't make them anymore...
This message has been edited by Dead Parrot, 05-18-2005 11:00 PM
Mat 27:5 And he went and hanged himself
Luk 10:37 Go, and do thou likewise.