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Scientific Method. Science philosophy involves itself in the methodology of science. Empirical knowledge – by observation - The Enlightenment (16-17 th C.). Science can’t observe everything. There is no causal relationship between an event and time Hume
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Scientific Method Science philosophy involves itself in the methodology of science. Empirical knowledge – by observation - The Enlightenment (16-17th C.)
Science can’t observe everything There is no causal relationship between an event and time Hume Thus science can’t ‘prove’ anything - All swans are white - Water always boils at 100 degrees
Science can’t prove anything Science can only ‘disprove’ things. -Falsification
Scientific revolutions Thomas Kunh (1922-1996)
When there’s a conflict between observation & hypothesis - what do you do? • Reject the hypothesis • Reject the observation • Accept both and make an auxiliary hypothesis
Rationalist vs Empiricist Rationalists think reason is the main source of knowledge – thus they will support a beautiful theory Empiricists thinks experience is the main source of knowledge – thus they will usually follow the data
In reality scientists are a bit of both But unfortunately, this means that even falsification cannot 100% prove anything
Relativist attacks on science Science can’t prove anything - so it’s all just theory - so you can’t really know 100% for sure about anything, such as carbon dating, or evolution, or continental drift, or anything - so you can’t really be sure that God didn’t create the Earth 5000 years ago.
Scientific attacks on religion If there is a god, then prove it!
Dawkins vs God Science and Religion stomping all over each others’ turf
Histories naughty siblings Religion mis-uses relativism to claim all ways of knowing are equal Science mis-uses it’s dominant position to undermine other forms of knowing