[lbo-talk] Scientism

Charles Brown cbrown at michiganlegal.org
Mon Oct 9 14:00:17 PDT 2006


boddi : Okay, let's just remember that there is a skepticism built into the "receiving communications" process, okay?

^^^^ CB: Sure, but there is affirmative belief built into it too, okay ?

even though "Natural laws" are laws ,and laws are "meant to be broken." :>)

^^^^^^

That's really the point of the scientific method, that when results are offered, they are considered observations which are seen to have a high likelihood of confirming a hypothesis - not a fact, not a dogma, certainly not a truth - a hypothesis.

^^^^ CB: Some hypotheses are spoken of as having attained the status of laws of nature, which expresses the certainty aspect of this. It is not just "skepticism".

For example, there's nobody talking about going faster than the speed of light. There's a lot of certainty today that that's a limit beyond a reasonable doubt.

No, there is not just skepticism and uncertainty in the posture of scientists toward many principles. There is a degree of affirmative certainty too. It's a unity and struggle of opposites.



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