What do you object to about science?

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ShawnD1

Lifer
May 24, 2003
15,987
2
81
122jamg.jpg

lol. I don't think anyone is stupid enough to be tricked by that. Gravity inside the magnet wouldn't explain why passing through a magnetic field generates an electric field.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,864
31,359
146
You have not made a single assertion to support your point that math is not a science. You have only made arrogant ass comments.

math is not a science. it is the language of science. Proofs are not the same as investigation via scientific method.

science doesn't exist without math. Just like Biology doesn't exist without evolution.
 

Nik

Lifer
Jun 5, 2006
16,101
3
56
math is not a science. it is the language of science. Proofs are not the same as investigation via scientific method.

science doesn't exist without math. Just like Biology doesn't exist without evolution.

All maths are sciences, but not all sciences are maths.

:D

Just like all scotches are whiskey but not all whiskeys are scotch.

It's easier for me to remember things like this if you put them in terms of alcohol. :awe:
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,382
17,936
126
I hate science since everything requires proof, you can't just go on faith.

wtf is with that?
 

DangerAardvark

Diamond Member
Oct 22, 2004
7,559
0
0
So when a scientific theory is proven wrong, which so many people cite as a reason to distrust it, what exactly proved it wrong and formulated the new or updated theory to replace it? Did Christians pray it into existence?
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,904
34,019
136
Math isn't a science. Math is very useful to science in that things in the physical world seem to behave as if mathematical constructs are real, but that doesn't make math a science. Math is the manipulation of symbols, following internally consistent rules. The rules are logical constructs with no necessary attachment to physical reality. We can apply these constructs or generic models to reality in order to explain stuff as part of the scientific method but it is a one way street. Obviously math developed from basic observations about the world around us but when it was abstracted it no longer requires a physical reality to be about.
 

Nik

Lifer
Jun 5, 2006
16,101
3
56
Math isn't a science. Math is very useful to science in that things in the physical world seem to behave as if mathematical constructs are real, but that doesn't make math a science. Math is the manipulation of symbols, following internally consistent rules. The rules are logical constructs with no necessary attachment to physical reality. We can apply these constructs or generic models to reality in order to explain stuff as part of the scientific method but it is a one way street. Obviously math developed from basic observations about the world around us but when it was abstracted it no longer requires a physical reality to be about.

Of course math is a science.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/science

First definition:

a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws: the mathematical sciences.
 

ShawnD1

Lifer
May 24, 2003
15,987
2
81
Appeal to authority

I hate it when hippy liberal scum try to cite things as if professionals have a clue what they're talking about. I said the earth is 6000 years old, and this one dick linked me to some article about how radiometric dating works. Like wtf man, show me yourself that it's older than 6k. Quoting some "scientist" who's been doing that for type of work for the past 30 years is straight up appeal to authority.

Those hippies also try to use the appeal to authority trick when debating things like plate tectonics. I said that plate tectonics are bullshit and god created it exactly the way it is right now about 6000 years ago. Luckily this guy DonExodus2 on youtube made a video to explain how this appeal to authority is wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inN_MfgnPWc
 
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DanDaManJC

Senior member
Oct 31, 2004
776
0
76
I object to being told I'm the descendant of a monkey. I object to being told that the world was created by accident. I object to being told that all followers of Christ are weak minded, uneducated lemmings. I object to some scientists being elitist, pompous a$$hats.

That's it for now. :p

I'd like to address this head on. No doubt, there are elitist asshats. I'm not going to argue that, conversely, there are just as many wacky fundamentalists. The idea here is that there is a fundamental clash of worldviews and neither side is taking any time to try and "get" why the other side is acting the way they do. Obviously, you aren't going to get any sympathy from ATOT either...but Id suggest that most people, IRL, arent as abrasive as those found here ;)

For the sake of discussion, I'll zoom in on the evolution idea because that's the typical hot-button issue around the conflict between science and xtian worldviews. Obviously, we're not just limited to evolution though.

From your point of view, you're right. You do see scientists and atheist type folk, looking down on Christians because they deny evolution. Scientists say, "evolution's a fact" and if you don't accept it you're just dumb. Some of them are very brash and just say that (people like coyne or hitchens <-- although hitchens is just a writer) others, end up being insensitive and inadvertently come off as elitist.

What I'd like to try to tell you now is the perspective of these elitist scientists. There are several different angles that I can take to try and describe this... so ill list them out.
  • From their perspective, there is factual evidence for evolution
  • Saying their life's work is a huge lie can be taken personally --- just as personal as the evolution's perceived attack on the christian worldview
  • it's a matter of fact that many people in opposition to some of these theories frankly don't know what they're talking about. A common example of this is the idea that evolution breaks the 2nd law of thermodynamics.
  • Accepting evolution as a theory is not mutually exclusive to having faith. More fundamentally, believing the results of methodological science does not at all imply you must accept a naturalistic (secular/humanistic) worldview

So now I'll add a bit more explanation to each point.

On Evidence (for evolution or other controversial topic)
First define "evidence" or "fact"... another poster in this thread did a fine job of that on a pragmatic level. (the post with the explanation between the difference between the fact of a ball dropping and the theory of gravity)

Now a lot could fall into here.. but lets just look at evolution. A common assertion by the christian folk is that there is no fossil evidence, dna disproves evolution and any number of other claims. That there are no facts that can be seen with your eyes or tested, thus evolution requires a step of faith.

The scientist disagrees with that statement... I'll give a simple example here. It's just one piece of evidence that doesn't at all prove the theory as a whole --- but clearly demonstrates the style of factual evidence and logic the scientist claims he is using when developing the theory from the evidence.

Now evolution predicts a common ancestor... as such, it would not make any sense at all to find dinosaur fossils with modern bird fossils (since supposedly birds evolved from dinosaurs). Similarly, you shouldn't find horse fossils mixed in with whatever the horse's long distant grandfather was and so on. Simply put, if a bunch of fossils were found and dated in such a way that the modern animal's ancestor was found side by side with the modern animal itself, you would have a HUGE case of factual evidence against the theory of evolution. That said, no such evidence has been found and instead affirm the theory of evolution.

Note how simple and testable that piece of evidence was. The theory of evolution made a prediction --- common ancestor --- and you could easily test that. No faith involved, and my assertion is that there is a lot of other "factual evidence" just like this that supports the idea of a common ancestor. Now I mean this brings up a lot of other issues, a good counter point is that you're almost putting on blinders and looking for evidence that fits and stuff like that. But as I said, the fossils themselves speak for the truth. Archeologists don't know which fossils go where etc.

To this end -- I've probably gone into too much detail and my hope isn't to delve into a debate on the technical terms of evolution. Rather, I'm just trying to show you this idea that evolution is a grand conspiracy cooked up by atheists to remove God from society isn't quite true... unfortunately, I also understand that for you to even acknowledge that there may be some truth to the theory would be for you to compromise your belief that the bible is God's word on earth. So iono... food for thought. I'd recommend you take a look at Ken Miller's "Finding Darwin's God"... he's catholic and an evolutionary biologist.

On the insult
Really isn't much for me to say to explain the point here. Ultimately, just trying to get you to see why these dern scientists get their panties in a twist when creationists come in and charge that evolution's a huge lie. You don't have to believe it, but I think it'll help all if we all do have some idea of what the other guy's thinking.

On poor arguments against evolution
I tread lightly here. This isn't at all about whether or not you accept the theory of evolution... instead, basing their rejection of evolution on self-inflected ignorance.

I'll swap around terms here... say instead that I chose to reject Christianity because I thought Jesus Christ was a heinous murderer who called for the murder of all Jews and molestation of all black boys. Also qualify this scenario with the fact that I honestly did not know any better -- I was honestly ignorant of what Jesus Christ was really about. Now wouldn't you, as a Christ lover, feel the need to correct the error in my ways? I mean, it's not even about trying to convert me, it's just getting your facts straight!

In the same way... when creationists say evolution violates the 2nd law of thermodynamics (more detail on rebutting this fallacious argument is long... so id google it ;)) or that the theory of evolution says that life originated from nothing by chance (theory of evolution says NOTHING about lifes origins --- that's a completely seperate topic -- and no that isn't a cop out answer, if you need confirmation just read darwin's origin of species to find he never postulated on the actual origin of life). Obviously those aren't the only examples -- but the point is that it clearly demonstrates to the scientists that the creationist types have frankly never critically looked at their beliefs.

So really, we are back to the point where scientists are calling people out on their ignorance. But note the difference... often times the average creationist has a completely wrong notion about evolution in the first place --- in the same style of error as illustrated in my Jesus example above.

The Religious
Meh... I'm not touching this topic here... this post is already too long and too few will read it. Instead, I'll defer to Ken Miller's book again.

I would also take some time to figure out the difference between methodological science and secularism as a 'religion'. I think the key issue in these debates is that for the scientist, the discussion is really only around a discussion of methodological facts. For the creationist, it's much more than that and a matter of worldview and religion.

That difference in assumption when going into debate is fucking huge and should be clearly articulated to all parties in the beginning of conversation.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,904
34,019
136
I hate it when hippy liberal scum try to cite things as if professionals have a clue what they're talking about. I said the earth is 6000 years old, and this one dick linked me to some article about how radiometric dating works. Like wtf man, show me yourself that it's older than 6k. Quoting some "scientist" who's been doing that for type of work for the past 30 years is straight up appeal to authority.

Those hippies also try to use the appeal to authority trick when debating things like plate tectonics. I said that plate tectonics are bullshit and god created it exactly the way it is right now about 6000 years ago. Luckily this guy DonExodus2 on youtube made a video to explain how this appeal to authority is wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inN_MfgnPWc
I may be liberal scum but I ain't no hippie.














They wouldn't have me. :(
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
I hate science since everything requires proof, you can't just go on faith.

wtf is with that?


Well the discovery of petrified wood proves dinosaurs existed. We know they are scary if they petrified the trees! :D
 

Cerpin Taxt

Lifer
Feb 23, 2005
11,940
542
126
Which ultimately rests on axioms.
Did you think this was something I'd dispute, or something that contradicts what I've said?

I would like to see mathematics prove an axiom.
I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I seem to remember at least a few mathematical conjectures that were often taken axiomatically until someone came along and proved them. It is at least true in principle that one can postulate an axiom which could be later demonstrated to be necessarily true as a consequence of more general axioms.
 

NinjaTech

Banned
May 14, 2009
279
0
0
Then why hasn't anyone in recorded history seen him? Why does he insist on playing Hide & Go Fuck Yourself Because You'll Never Find Him?

He doesn't exist and, no matter how down in the dumps you are in life, screaming to the sky out of absolute desperation like innocent children in war-torn regions of the world or a prisoner of war lost in korea & vietnam, he will never show himself and save you from your predicament.

Some say death is him "saving us" from further torture. Some say "well I actually made it out of that situation so he must exist" but the billion other people who've been in that situation before you didn't make it so what makes you so special?

It's called "delusional" for a reason. :)

God's not hiding you just can't see beyond your own stupidity. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7 If you truly seek God you will find him. He doesn't hide.
 

Ruptga

Lifer
Aug 3, 2006
10,246
207
106
God's not hiding you just can't see beyond your own stupidity. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7 If you truly seek God you will find him. He doesn't hide.

Say I sought this god for 20 goddamn years and didn't find him? What now?

And you call the non-religious arrogant? Mmkay.