Science

[Tiko]

The title should say all.

If you're still confused, no, I'm not interested in the relationship of Science and any system of belief(s). I'm interested in your thoughts about Science.

Spoiler for Explanation.. :

I'm curious about what does science mean to people. You're free to explain why did you chose it over any "supernatural" interpretation of the world, but I guess there are a few topics out there already with similar confessions. I want to know the reasons for one putting faith in Science, either s/he spares some for 'outside' the material or not.

I'm also curious about how would you define the purpose of science. How does it serve mankind exactly, and if so, where are its limits?

Please, share.

[russianspy1234]

you know there is a science subforum in off-topic right?  or are you trying to prove some sort of point by putting it in religion?

[Zso_Zso]

I agree, Science is the best religion 

[Tiko]

or are you trying to prove some sort of point by putting it in religion?

If it needs provement, that may come later; mostly I'm curious about what does science mean to people. You're free to explain why did you chose it over any "supernatural" interpretation of the world, but I guess there are a few topics out there already with similar confessions. I want to know the reasons for one putting faith in Science, either s/he spares some for 'outside' the material or not.

As an addition: I'm also curious about how would you define the purpose of science. How does it serve mankind exactly, and if so, where are its limits?

[Zso_Zso]

I want to know the reasons for one putting faith in Science, either s/he spares some for 'outside' the material or not.

As an addition: I'm also curious about how would you define the purpose of science. How does it serve mankind exactly, and if so, where are its limits?

In my view:

1. Math fuels Science, i.e. basic math research tends to create models that are later (sometimes 30-50 years or even more later) picked up and used by scientists, because they find them to be applicable to model a given phenomena that they happen to be studying, i.e. the model can explain the observations, experimental results.

2. Science, in turn, fuels technological advancement and engineering.

3. Technological advancement and engineering benefits humanity by making our lives easier, more convenient, increasing our survival chances (curing various diseases, making safer ways to travel etc.), allowing us to produce more food, improve living conditions ...

[Fireleaf]

Science is, quite simply, the greatest and most important endeavor of humanity; it goes beyond the petty squabbles of economics, politics and even religion; it is the standard by which all of humanity will be measured, by our knowledge, our wisdom and our discoveries.

[Onizuka]

This may or may not just be mostly idealism.

I choose science over any supernatural interpretation of the world in the most part because it is evolving. I think humanity as a race is entirely too young to have something like a foreverstanding word of god. Science is still looking, still trying to answer the questions that we currently don't have answers to. Still evolving just like humanity. There may be things in this world that science will never truly ever be able to overcome or understand, but they are still searching for answers.

The purpose of science is both in pursuit of knowledge and the ultimate advancement of intelligent lifeforms. Even things that may ultimately turn out bad for the human race (Perhaps nuclear bombs, or maybe in a 100 years microwaves will be considered the worst thing to ever be invented) are advancements of the human race. Science is limited by the limitations of the current day and age, as science/technology advance or as humans advance the limits of science will be pushed forward. If humanity gets put back in the stone age, the ultimate limitations of science isn't limited, just the current limitations are.

As long as we push forward, we can always dream of anything.

[Bloodshadow]

The scientific method is, practically, the most efficient method to construct models that predict the behaviors of the universe to the greatest degrees of accuracy. I mean, if there's a more efficient method, shouldn't humans have come up with it during the past few thousand years?

[northcity4]

Science, like math, can work in a purely logical sense. You can go off theories, but then use real things to go about showing how this theory can become fact.

Example: how do I know what speed this item was when it hit the wall? I can take segments of different times it was traveling and find its Acc, vel, and speed and give you an accurate answer.

One thing I am curious is: it seems we have moved from animism to monotheism then science...I wonder if there will be a new method of discovering things or if science will just be enhanced.

[andretimpa]

I don't really see the point in comparing science to a religion. There is no point in believing things fall when dropped, or that a lamp will be lit when you turn it on. It just serves to create a mysterious aura around it, when ultimately science is just a bunch of guesses about how the world works that turn out to be correct up to a certain precision. We know things fall in a certain way because we can verify it through an experiment, there is no mystery to it.

If there is any Philosophical mystery here it is:
Why the world can be comprehended? Why does the world make sense?
Answering these questions is however outside the boundaries of what science is (you can't falsify answers to them with experiments), so if I had to answer why I "believe" in science it would be because I believe the world can be comprehended and that the fundamental workings of everything around us are ultimately simple.

[northcity4]

Well, since we are in the religion thread: people talk about 'how the universe started' and scientific theory at the moment says there was this 'rip' which created heated unimaginable (enough to create rays of light that could clash so hard you create ions-->this has been proven in a microwave experiment).

From there they make a plausible assumption of why things work the way they do.

Again, it is a theory, but what would cause this 'ripple?' Why does gravity exist?
So, in a sense, science has not yet shown how these things come about...there is the notion that we will eventually...but...how would you respond to someone who says: science is my religion in the sense God started the 'ripple' and the rest happened? (assuming gravity and other mysterious could be associated).

[fiery nemesis]

Science is subject to the same fallacies as religion,
but because it is newer those fallacies are as yet small.

Another advantage of science is that you can do the weirdest shit and just say it is an experiment "for science"
religion only allows you to blow people up.