RE: Precision in Nature: Evidence of God or Accidents?
April 29, 2012 at 9:53 pm
(This post was last modified: April 29, 2012 at 9:53 pm by Cyberman.)
I think I see part of the problem. It looks like (and I apologise if this is wrong) A2E thinks there is a progressive heirarchy in science, from a hypothesis/theory to a fact to a law. If that's the case, then no wonder the poor fella's confused. Maybe it's radio static or sunspots or something. Just in case:
A hypothesis is a tentative statement about the natural world leading to deductions that can be tested. A working assumption, if you will.
A fact is an observation that has been repeatedly confirmed and for all practical purposes is accepted as “true.”
A law is a descriptive generalisation about how some aspect of the natural world behaves under stated circumstances.
A theory is a conceptual framework that explains existing observations and predicts new ones.
(All definitions taken from here.)
To sum up: A hypothesis is an embryo theory which, under the proper conditions and if it eats up all its greens, may just possibly grow up to be a theory. However, a theory can never become a law or even a fact, no matter how much testing is done or how many letters the scientists has after his/her name.
Yes, I'm onto the taking-the-piss phase of dealing with reality deniers now. Next up will be the pointing-and-laughing stage. Can't wait!
A hypothesis is a tentative statement about the natural world leading to deductions that can be tested. A working assumption, if you will.
A fact is an observation that has been repeatedly confirmed and for all practical purposes is accepted as “true.”
A law is a descriptive generalisation about how some aspect of the natural world behaves under stated circumstances.
A theory is a conceptual framework that explains existing observations and predicts new ones.
(All definitions taken from here.)
To sum up: A hypothesis is an embryo theory which, under the proper conditions and if it eats up all its greens, may just possibly grow up to be a theory. However, a theory can never become a law or even a fact, no matter how much testing is done or how many letters the scientists has after his/her name.
Yes, I'm onto the taking-the-piss phase of dealing with reality deniers now. Next up will be the pointing-and-laughing stage. Can't wait!
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
