When someone says “according to Science…” most people, if
not all, are quick to believe that the matter being discussed is a product of absolute truth. The law of gravity, for example, is a proven absolute product of truth—so are many other laws of nature. However, exempting the latter, all scientific experiments reach only a degree of probability that is less than absolute. Close however it may be, nonetheless,less than absolute. Why is this so? Understanding Science and its principles can help us in the quest of discovering its limitations of studying the truths of this universe.
“When we hear that something has been scientifically proven to be true, most of us just accept that must be the case. But the application of science is performed by human beings and no human being is infallible or unaffected by emotions. Some of the most brilliant people in the world have been involved in disputes that would rival any of those ever conducted in the halls of congress. But those would never have happened if the participants had agreed what constitutes science. That is because, within the limitations of any scientific application, the conclusions are what they are. They are the result of the process. But it is vital we know what those limitations are for science in general and what they are in any particular situation.”
Originally, Science means knowing through method. This definition does not suggest any requirements needed in the method to prove what is to be known. Yet without requirements, it would be impossible to gauge the validity of a matter. Hence, premises and assumptions are proposed—ones that have been “previously scientifically validated” to the extent that they can be.
Reason, logic, and Mathematics (the language of Science) have to be properly performed. However, a physical demonstration is not always required despite protestations to that effect that might be heard from man members of the scientific community. Once scientists arrive at a conclusion, they record the information and conduct the test again.
Take note, most scientifically proven truths are less than absolute and are therefore only a layer of a bigger truth. The results of the test births to a new never-ending cycle: speculation of possibilities to a valid premise; gather evidence; formulate another hypotheses or theories related to the possibilities; develop a method to test the hypotheses; arrive at a conclusion and gauge the truth or falsity of the possibility being tested; and back to speculation of possibilities, etc.
Despite the rigorous methods of Science, the determination of the truth through them results to a ceaseless spiraling process most of the time: new layers of truth emerge while possibilities start to narrow down or are falsified.
As mentioned above, most scientifically proven matters have only reached a degree of probability that is close to the absolute. Thus, it is safe to conclude that we are far from unfolding the universe’s many layers of truth. With the aid of Science’s systematic search for absolute truth, we may yet discover the validity and the truth of the subjects that were once indifferently dismissed—the spiritual aspect for one.
Have you read my article about The Search for Spiritual Truth?
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