Science which literally translates meaning “to know,” is a logical and empirical process based upon utilizing the best methodologies available to obtain knowledge about the natural world. The best resulting evidence available, gathered through a strict process, that can be repeated by any scientist in the world; provided that they have the resources to perform the experiment or to make the observations necessary becomes validated over time as the best explanation for a given set of phenomena or characteristics. If new data is collected, new experiments performed and again repeatable that amends the hypothesis or even more thoroughly established theory, then the paradigm may also evolve or shift into a new set of principles and understanding of whatever is observed in features (qualitative analysis) or measured. (quantitative analysis)
Contrary to popular opinion or the claims of some scientists and non scientists, science itself holds no stance on the existence of god, God or gods, nor does any findings within science prove or disprove the existence of the possibility or impossibility of such an existence or set of exsistences. Also, though areas of study like: Evolutionary Biology, Climatology and Archeaology impact major areas of human lives and the conditions in education and government allocation of funds, science as a whole has no agenda, people do, individual scientists may, however the goals of science are discovery and working on problems that affect humanity.
Philosophers, specifically the pragamatists, make claim the the scientific process is not as simple as hypothesis, experiment, results, repeatability, validation and facts ascertained/data collected. The claims they make refer to examples from history where Galileo, Da Vinchi and Copernicus among many other giant figures in science were scoffed at and rejected not just by mainstream society, but by their peers within the realm of science. The debate over whether the Earth traveled around the sun or vice versa was long debated even after experiments and careful empirical observations revealed that it was in fact the Earth that orbited around the sun. The pragmatists make a point here that science is always so straight forward as a textbook or class would lead one to believe, however, the scientific method is the necessary prerequisite for any scientific discoveries to be validated and even considered within the discipline of science.
Some students of logic claim that a priori knowledge through reason alone and influenced only marginally by experience is all people need to know deep truths about right and wrong, life, death and even the divine. Well, these questions are beyond the scope of science to answer. Biology tells us how life processes work, no philosophical or theological system of branch thereof can do this any more than Biology can reveal the divine or moral absolutes.
Science like any discipline can reveal greater truths about our planet, solar system, and universe so long as the applications of findings are held up to scrutiny and are not applied to harm others. There can be no doubt that the scientific method and subsequent discoveries have lead to atrocities against humanity. No one disputes the horrors of World War II greatly enhanced by the atomic bomb and Hitler’s attempts at Eugenics a false belief system based upon genetics utilized to attain racial purity at the expense of all other persons.
Science does not make itself obsolete, it just needs to be applied correctly within its own context and the issues that are beyond its purpose as an intellectual, academic and technological endeavor must be left to those better qualified for such matters. Now this does not mean a scientist may not be a theologian or a professional philospher and write papers on morals of scientific applications or even about their own faith in God, god, or gods; what this means is that science serves ots purpose to humanity and cannot ever be obsolete in its mission statement and purpose, to know.
