If science is always changing, how can we know current scientific beliefs are true?

Answer 1

Basic laws (or scientific beliefs) of chemistry, physics, and mathematics are proved over & over again. They are the basis of scientific study.

What changes are basic hypothesis or opinions for how things might happen scientifically.

When basic laws are applied, and a scientist may not have found an answer to a question for a particular subject, so the scientist may create a hypothesis or opinion to further study a subject.

Take Pluto for example. Applying basic physical science and astronomy many years ago, a scientist discover an object that was believed to be a new planet (based upon an earlier definition of what a planet is). However, recently scientist had decided to redefine or rewrite the definiton of what a planet should be.

Hence, we know that Pluto is still an object that revolves around the Sun, however, it just is not as a planet in the scientific communities eyes.

I wonder, what is the effect of removing Pluto from the status as of a planet have on Astrology?

Answer 2

You cannot "know" that the current scientific theory about a particular issue is true. You can only know that this theory is generally accepted by the majority of experts as the best theory proposed to date which takes into account all the available evidence, and which therefore has the greatest likelihood of being correct.

Answer 3

Losely taken from "confessions of a philosopher";
"for many years Europeans had only seen white swans. Many sayings were based on this notion. Saying; white swan was considered to be a tautology, like red blood. Whith the discovery of Australia they first encountered a black swan. From this time they knew there were not only white swans in the world" The citation is probably far from full, but I think it's nice to show the source of this information. It boiles down to the falsification of science. Something is true as long as there are no facts to support the negation.

Answer 4

Indeed, science is always changing as new discoveries are made. What I find amusing is how someone will make a discovery, publish it, then get lambasted by the established community for YEARS until someone finally says, "maybe we ought to at least look at the research; the dude might be right."

Answer 5

That's one of criteria for science. It's really never absolute, but it's tentative truth. That doesn't mean one should just go around thinking every scientific knowledge is bogus. You can read Thomas Kuhn or Karl Popper for more on philosophy of science.

Answer 6

We don't know. That's why nothing in science is every proved. There are only theories that seem to give reasoning for everything we know, but any experiment at all in the future could change what we know and disprove those theories.

Answer 7

That is the wonderful thing about science, it searches for truth and can change..unlike religions like Christianity or Islam. Use your wisdom with science...if the evidence is overwhelming then it pretty much can be taken for granted. Remember if it weren't for science we'd still be living in caves.

Answer 8

Sorry to make you feel uneasy but true science is always in a state of revision and refinement.. The search for truth is unending. Thats why it is so interesting.

Answer 9

We dont know, thats the neat part of it all. Its just technology and ingenuity that provide scientists with the knowlege we have now. When new methods and equipment is invented, lots of our current knowledge will be either wrong or obsolete. Remember...the world used to be flat.

Answer 10

Its not that science is always changing, its always been there its that its like a puzzle and more pieces keep popping up, and the more pieces we get the larger the puzzle gets... with every advancement, there is more to explore.