Re: O'Barr: The purpose of science.


"Bilge" <dubious@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:slrnd9teot.5h.dubious@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Gerald L. O'Barr:
> >O'Barr: The purpose of science.
> >Gerald L. O'Barr (globarr)
> >
> > The very purpose of science, and the research
> >associated with science, is to make our reality
> >understandable.
>
> Therein lies your first misconception. The purpose of doing
> science is to try and understand nature. If nature is hard to
> understand, you'll just have to get over it, since nature isn't
> going to change for your sake. Studying science is about making
> what scienists discover about nature understandable.
>
> >When things are seen that do not make sense, then science is used
> >to make them make sense. This is what progress is all about.
>
> Therein lies your second misconception. Scientists don't decide
> for nature what makes sense. Nature tells scientists what makes
> sense. Progress is all about being able to overcome preconceptions
> and accept what nature did rather than insist that nature cave in
> to your misconceptions.
>
> > These things that do not make sense might all be
> >facts, but just because they are known facts do not
> >mean they make sense.
>
> Therein lies your third misconception. If you find that facts
> don't make sense, the answer is not to try and change the facts
> to fit your idea of what makes sense, but to change your idea
> of what makes sense to fit the facts.
>
> >Whether it is the sun that comes up every morning, or tides, any
> >fact can be mysterious or unexplainable.
>
> Especially if you want to play scientist without having studied any
> science.
>
> [*usual drivel snipped*]

Neat.
http://users.pandora.be/vdmoortel/dirk/Physics/Gems/Misconceptions.html

Dirk Vdm


.

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