AAAAAARRRRGH, scientific theory versus philosophical theory
When will creationists finally learn the diffrence :
A scientific theory comprises a collection of concepts, including abstractions of observable phenomena expressed as quatifiable properties, together with rules (called scientific laws) that express relationships between observations of such concepts.
Philosophical theory = opinion (i.e. god)
Scientific theories and philosophical theories are both capable of being cogent. And they are all opinions, although some opinions have more weight than others. How data collected by scientific methods is interpreted depends on the opinion of the people who interpret them. What claims are considered scientific laws are the opinions of the people who formulate and judge the claims. Whether or not such opinions are worth believing depends on things like the scientist's educational background, research methods, depth of research, probability of their truth based on compatibility with other accepted theories... Philosophical theories can also be judged, partly through scientific methods, partly through argument. Flimsy theories can quickly be spotted and trashed by someone trained to analyse logic. |