A place where we practice random acts of insight and humor.
Published on May 14, 2008 By OckhamsRazor In Ethics

I suppose it's somewhat ironic that I'm placing this article in Philosophy->Ethics, but perhaps you'll bear with me to see why.

 

Let's face something, folks - there's a big debate, on these forums, and just about everywhere else, about what should be taught in a science classroom and what should not.  I have one real problem with the argument from both sides - it is emotionally based.  I find absolutely no use for emotion when discussing something that is "supposedly" scientific whether it be evolution OR Intelligent design.  Any emotion regarding either subject needs to be summarily discarded as not useful to the argument.

 

So I am writing this article, outside of ANY issue up for debate, to state what I "believe" (word used for humor purposes) is a fact.  And that fact is that anything that does not use The Scientific Method in its determination is not science and therefore should not be taught in a science classroom.  That said, here is a synopsis on The Scientific Method.  If you agree that this method is an unbiased good way to determine facts about nature, then apply it to your beliefs and see if it is science.  If you can test your beliefs using the scientific method and are willing to publish those testable results for all to see, then have on!  Perhaps your belief belongs in the science class.  Yay!

 

The Scientific Method goes like this:

 

  1. Ask a question. 
  2. Do some background research
  3. Construct a hypothesis.  A hypothesis goes like this:  If I do "this" then "that" will happen.
  4. Design an experiment by which you can test that hypothesis.
  5. Test the hypothesis with your experiment.
  6. Record the results.
  7. Ask the question "Do the results prove my hypothesis, disprove it, or is there still room for doubt?
  8. If it proves your hypothesis, retest several times to make sure you get the same results.
  9. If it disproves your hypothesis, well, you're pretty much done with that hypothesis.  Rewrite it and try again from step 5.
  10. If there's room for doubt, you must redesign your experiment to test for something you can either prove or disprove.  If that is impossible, then the question you are asking is located outside of the realm of science.

 

Is that pretty clear?  I hope so.  There are lots of anti-god evolutionists that want to state that evolution is 100% fact.  That automatically makes them non-scientific because nothing can be proven to be 100% fact. 

 

For people that believe they have enough evidence to lay down some money in a bet that evolution is a fact, these anti-god types do discredit to the rest.  I do not support them.  They give atheists that love people and try to live good lives a bad name.

 

For people that believe that in order to combat THAT group they must circumvent the scientific method to get "equal time" for their beliefs, I am sad to say I have nothing but scorn.  For they are doing nothing different from the people they have issue with.

 

I urge you all to make your own science.  But you have to follow the above method.  The above method has no predisposition to anything except that which can be made observably true through rigorous experimentation.  And if you can't use that method to prove your hypotheses, then don't cry about it when it isn't taught in a science class.  It hasn't earned the right to be there.  Saying that it has is unethical.


Comments (Page 2)
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on May 16, 2008

In order to do further research on a topic you need to know the existing foundations that have been laid before you can even begin.

 

Step 2.  Do some background research.  Ok, maybe more than "some"

 

I agree that credentials and peer review are both an important part of science, but they aren't a part of the Scientific Method.  Anyone can pose a hypothesis and test it.

 

My point wasn't what makes for "good" science.  I just wanted to show that you could hold an idea or set of ideas in your mind and not even tell me what they were.  Then I could ask "have you posed any hypotheses regarding them?  Have you tested them?  Do you have data for the results?  Is the test repeatable by anyone?  Are the results reproducible by anyone?  And if you answer "no" to any of these questions, it isn't science.

 

thyroid

 

Hahaha

 

on May 16, 2008
They have "faith" in evolution? C'mon man. You can't be serious.


I will leave you with a couple of definitions. YOu may choose to believe them or not. To each his own:


the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement, etc.

Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.

Loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance


These are just several of the definitions that can be found on dictionary.com. I could cut and paste the entire page as only the ones that specifically mention Christianity would not apply. But you can gather my point here.

Yes Faith. It is not just for Christians any more.
on May 16, 2008

I've already read the definitions on dictionary.com.  You can ask KFC what a fan I am of dictionary definitions.  It always seems to gaul her when I dare to state what a word means in my arguments ...for some reason.  Since you didn't paste it, I will.

 

   
1. confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.
2. belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.
3. belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion: the firm faith of the Pilgrims.
4. belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.: to be of the same faith with someone concerning honesty.
5. a system of religious belief: the Christian faith; the Jewish faith.
6. the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement, etc.: Failure to appear would be breaking faith.
7. the observance of this obligation; fidelity to one's promise, oath, allegiance, etc.: He was the only one who proved his faith during our recent troubles.
8. Christian Theology. the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved.

   

 

In bold is the generally accepted use of the word faith as it pertains to this argument.

 

Picking and choosing the parts of definitions that support your argument is so...democrat-like, Doc.  I'm a little surprised.

 

So who is it that has faith in evolution?  Name me a name.

on May 16, 2008

Hey Ock,

Good article and one i think was needed given the recent debates going on here at JU.

It's interesting what Artysim said regards to Credentials. I actually think this is somewhat of a grey area and perhaps Artysim's mention of Peer Review brings it into perspective, but someone can make an observation of something, come up with a hypothesis without any offically recognised credentials and still be 100% on the mark.

It would be here that Peer Review stepped in, and people with said credentails, would then take a look and verify what the person with the orional hypothesis is saying.

All too often people (whom are often right) are discrininated against due to their credentials or lack thereof. Indeed RoyLevosh pointed out Sagan's baloney detection kit, which makes mention to Ad hominem - attacking the person making the arguement, not the arguement itself, which incidently is a popular tactic for gouls that defend the practices of Scientology.

 

on May 19, 2008

Seems pretty clear that Chaos Magick is science to me.  We need to make sure it gets taught in the science class right away

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