To question whether Science undermines its own search for answers is to fuel the fire of the staunch opponents of scientific progress. Scientific research uncovers new answers every day. Every modern comfort, every medicinal treatment, every inch of concrete knowledge that we possess can be attributed to scientific research or dialectic method.
A common misconception which is often targeted against the verity of science is the statement that all scientific knowledge amounts to “theories”. The problem with such a statement is that a scientific theory by definition differs from the commonplace definition of a theory which is often little more than a hypothesis – an educated guess. For a Scientific hypothesis, or a group of hypotheses, to be classified as a theory they must withstand scrutiny through rigorous testing, their laws must be adhered to in every example situation.
Although it is not possible to assert whether any particular scientific theory is 100% correct, there will always be elements of truth in the theory otherwise it simply wouldn’t work in practice and therefore would not be a valid scientific theory.
The inquisitive nature of Science, far from being an obsolescing factor, is the driving force behind our scientific discovery and thus the improvement of our lives. We have answers, solid answers. We know that the universe is expanding, we know of the existence of dark matter and dark energy, we know enough about gravity to create massive super-structures which adhere to strict formula and can tower above us without risk of collapse.
When those who have a natural distrust of Science turn against it one of their first shots across the bow shall forever be the assertion that “Science Gives Us No Answers” and this is often followed with “Unlike Religion”. The truth is more to the contrary. Science is the sole reason that now we know more about the universe than at any previous point in human history. Science is the reason that we now live longer lives, cure diseases, explore the sea and space.
Admittedly science also offers us more questions. Yet this is far from a negative thing, the questions have always existed but it is only now that we are discovering them. Discovering a question is the first step towards answering a question and so with every new question our knowledge is expanded that much further. Science does something a lot greater than obsolesce itself, it justifies and proliferates itself.
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Does Science by its very Nature Undermine its Search Answers Obsolesce – No
Does Science by its very Nature Undermine its Search Answers Obsolesce – No
Does Science by its very Nature Undermine its Search Answers Obsolesce – Yes
Does Science by its very Nature Undermine its Search Answers Obsolesce – No