What science does not do (Agnosticism)

by xeno6696 , Sonoran Desert, Tuesday, December 21, 2010, 04:55 (5086 days ago) @ romansh

Romansh,-So the problem for you isn't that science doesn't give you answers, its that its answers don't lead to a definitive resolution? There's no final answer?-If this is your thrust you have a fallacy in your thinking; -You make the assumption here that objective truths (or knowledge) is something that actually exists. -It does not. If for no other reason than that objective knowledge is only ever tacit knowledge for each of us. And that's not truly objective!-Since we know that objective knowledge does not exist, that only leaves us with answers that are always tentative to some degree or other. -This stated, there is no other system that will allow multiple people to arrive at the same conclusions with the same degree of accuracy as science. -Science gives us answers; the answers are always tentative, but considering that it is the BEST model for deriving and communicating knowledge as objectively as possible, we can rest assured that these answers are always the best we have. And they are answers; if our argument is in semantics here it is because I do not have a word for answer that means "end result." -You example of unraveling the broader nature of Bubonic plague is a direct example of this. When do we consider a topic settled? Only when we agree all our questions become sufficiently answered. -We can say that our studies are done when we can no longer produce fruitful questions. In my own case of lightning; there is no question today about what causes lightning. The only thing that could reopen a study of lightning would be some phenomenon that is provably electric in origin, yet unexplained by the existing theories. -So, I would amend your original statement by saying, -"I too used to believe science tried to give us objective truth."-There are answers, but there is no objective truth, only observable probabilities.

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\"Why is it, Master, that ascetics fight with ascetics?\"

\"It is, brahmin, because of attachment to views, adherence to views, fixation on views, addiction to views, obsession with views, holding firmly to views that ascetics fight with ascetics.\"