Submitted 2 weeks ago by rainrain@sh.itjust.works to showerthoughts@lemmy.world
Besides evidence (what you see in front of you), there’s also reason (what you can deduce from first principles).
I’d say the key concept of science is that knowledge can be built upon. That answers don’t yet exist to every question. That you can say “We don’t know but we’re working on it”. This was absolutely revolutionary in human affairs.
It’s a little more complicated than that obviously. If you want the details once you get out of the shower, you can start here: plato.stanford.edu/entries/scientific-method/
Maybe in the past? Modern science has shifted away from direct observation and more towards targeted probing. Modern science is about setting up intricate systems to answer a very specific question such that no matter what happens, you learn something new
There are always random flukes, or correlation confused with causation. I would probably add: The more consistent the observations, the closer they are to reality.
Einstein might have something to say about that. Not necessarily a counter argument. But something for sure. Or maybe his chauffeur…
Actually there are whole segments of science that deal with the problem of observation. Many things are altered by the very act of observing. Some of those are easy to understand. Like photons being used to observe things will drastically alter subatomic particles. Other are a complete mystery.
I am not qualified in the sciences, just what I’ve picked up a long the way.
AbouBenAdhem@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
The scientific method is only used to validate provisional models of reality against observation—it makes no ontological claim about the nature of reality itself.
snek_boi@lemmy.ml 1 week ago
Which is why philosophers of science like Lee McIntyre do not use the scientific method as their basis for defining science. Instead, there’s a way to flip the strategy on its head: define science not by its method but by its attitude. Funnily enough, the attitude is precisely what the comment says: embrace empiricism; assume reality is real and we can understand it.
rainrain@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Fine, replace “reality” with “working model” then.