Faith and Science

[ExciteBike66]

14. And the analogy isn't a good one...

You are distorting what science actually is (well technically the guy you quote does that).

I'm happy you responded though because I wanted to expand on my answer above.


1.) Scientists and faith:

- Scientists cannot just have "faith" in prior scientists' work. This is not how science gets things done. I will use the example in your OP of the speed of light. It is perfectly valid for a modern scientist to make a prediction based upon the speed of light as calculated by prior scientists. However, this is not merely taking the prior measurements on "faith" in the sense of religious faith. If the modern scientist's prediction turns out to be false, he is perfectly at liberty to start to doubt the prior scientist's measurement of the speed of light. Science is only "true" insofar as it is useful. Once a scientific theory/measurement proves to not lead to good predictions, it can be jettisoned. As I state in my original post, it is the essence of science that the biggest discoveries overturn prior "dogmas".


2.) Regular folks and faith in science/scientists:

- I was brief in my prior post about this. Basically, regular folks (i.e. those who are not employed in furthering mankind's knowledge and technology) can believe whatever they want about science. The quoted guy in the OP is correct that most people will not calculate the speed of light on their own, but that is not really relevant to whether or not science is a matter of "faith". Just because I will not personally measure the speed of light doesn't mean I have "faith" that it is a certain mph. Other people have measured the speed of light, and I can see with my own eyes the benefits of said measurements. Whenever my GPS gets me to the right address, I can see the benefits of science. I need no "faith", because science got me to where I wanted to be.

- Your argument that regular people have "faith" in science isn't a very strong one in your case. We can all see the benefits science has brought us through technology, it doesn't require any faith at all.