do you think scientists have the answer for everything?

Question

havnt you notice that we started looking back at older ways to solve ours problems which seem more reliable and effcient like for example traditional chinese medicines and herbs

why do scientists always regard whatever they dont have a scientific explanation for as sort of myth instead of just saying we dont have a clue

Answer 1

I think if scientists had an answer for everything we wouldn't have Yahoo answers!

Answer 2

If it's really a choice between modern medicine and Chinese herbs, you have the herbs, I'll take modern medicine.

That fact that some traditional methods are worthwhile hardly invalidates science!

BTW, you are mixing up medicine - which is a practical art, an application of technology - with science, which is concerned with theory testing. Doctors don't have the same training as scientists, although there is some overlap.

But of course science doesn't have the answer for everything, not now, not ever. For example, science is incapable of moral proclamation or aesthetic judgement, so that's an awful lot that science can't even touch at all, much less sucessfully.

However, science is marked by constant change, while traditional methods almost by definition do not change. Which is more dogmatic, then?

Answer 3

You've gotten a touchy subject here. Part of the answer is mired in history. The other in human psychology.

A really good scientist isn't afraid of saying "I don't have a clue". But just like a good politician is hard to find (impossible?) so re good scientists. Things like pride, preconceptions and misconceptions can all get in the way.

Plus, and I can only answer this from a Western World point of view, think about how science had to develop against religious dogma some several hundred years back. You had to be sure of your conviciotions to say the world was flat against the church's teachings. Some died, and many died. This is just one popular example. A popular ideaology is developping in the United states called Intelligent design (ID). One side of the debate is worried that ID is really a hidden agenda for religion and feel that they have to stick to their guns. The other is saying that they "don't have a clue" about evolution, but "allow" for the possibility of something else, which is often quoted as a "higher being". Of course, they never quote random chance, but that's a whole other story.

Finally, the 'traditional chinese' medicines that you talk about. I'm not sure what background you have, but what does anyone really know about what is being used. History is fraught with flim flam artists who sell the proverbial snake oil for a cure alls of what ails you. While scientists can say "they don't know", people often take this answer to mean, "its possible" rather than just an admission of lack of knowledge. Look at some of the news that comes out from China. Sometimes people claiming to be selling something real isn't (see the first link about "tiger meat").

So how do we explain away all the "benefits" that traditional medicine offers? Its a documented fact that if someone believes in medicine (any medicine, western or otherwise), they can often get better, just on that belief (see the second link re the Placebo effect).

All that being said, of course there are benefits to herbal medicine. There just hasn't been that much study rigorous study on herbs outside of Europe and North America. And just to clarify, rigorous study is referring to controlled study. If you imagine China with its large population, any "cure" if used liberally on enough people will have a benefit somewhere. But you need to compare to that to the people that were harmed that tend to stay quiet. There just isn't enough bad mouthing of "cures" that don't work and too much praising of "cures" that do.

I hope that this answers your question in part and expands your viewpoint in others.

Finally, I have to say, I'm a grad student and I have NO problem going to my supervisor and saying "I'm clueless about such and such". In fact, I think my supervisor will cry tears of joy the day I go in and don't ask a stupid question.

Best of luck.

Answer 4

There is always a difference between science and technology, you are absolutely right scientists tend to deny the possibility to approach certain problems by non scientific means and if there is a scientific answer to a problem it doesn't mean we have the technology to bring the scientific theories into practical solutions.

Some traditional methods to solve certain problems are sometimes more effective than our technical solutions. But keep in mind that in most cases technology and science provide a better and safer way.

Answer 5

Of course scientist dont have the answers for everything.

They do, however, have the tools to find the answers to everything.

I would also point out that tiger bones and rhino horn are traditional chinese remedies for impotence. I'll stick to viagra thx.

Meanwhile, many modern 'scientific' cures based on traditional cures. Lets start with aspirin, and work our way to morphine, then off to penicillin....etc etc etc....

In fact there are many scientists busily exploring traditional cures for the underlying agent(s). Herbal remedies are tremendously variable in their potency. Would -you- take a pill if you had no idea how strong it was?

Answer 6

There's a lot that science doesn't know. That's why scientists end up with theories. But I know what you mean. People are really re-learning the old ways of homeopathics and herbs, and unfortunately, are having to do it without the assistance or support of the medical profession.

Now, if I could only find a homeopathic alternative to prescription antibiotics.

Answer 7

Herbal remedies and things like acupuncture smack of some kind of primitive, uneducated mind.

There needs to be a real reason as to why things work they way they do.

How can a simple herb cure this or that?

Hospital are now rediscovering the effectiveness of leeches. But it comes across as some medieval alchemist, using leeches, trying to turn lead into gold, looking for witches

Answer 8

Scientists are thinking, doing experiments & trying to find out the answer for the problem, though they don't have answers for everything.

Answer 9

They actually don't. They have to look at how likely is something if they don't have a clue. For example, we don't have any evidence of aliens yet scientists believe in them totally!

Answer 10

Obviously not. But someday they may come up with an answer for fundamentalists who think they have the only answer for everything.