can scientists actually state that a law is absolute or is a law merely a statement of what we know given our?

Question

tools?

Answer 1

Technically, laws are statements about what we know given our tools. But in some cases, we're talking about some serious observation here. Newton's equation for gravity has held up for 300 years. One example of a scientific law that's been proved untrue is the idea that objects of different weights fall at different weights. Gallileo nixed that one by (supposedly) dropping things off the leaning tower of Pisa.

A scientific theory, on the other hand, is subject to constant evaluation and must be rejected if evidence is found against them. So a theory, just by virtue of longevity, eventually becomes law.

Answer 2

No, we can never say that a law is absolute.

However in science it is not important to have an absolute law. Instead we want to know where we can apply a theory, and what error using that theory will produces.

For example, in basic physics we assume constant acceleration and get equations x=1/2at^2 +vot+xo. However in object accelerates at a=2000+.01t then the above equation is not exact. But for small t the error is small. So the theory x=1/2at^2+vot+xo will work for some t, but not all.

Answer 3

although some laws of science may be absolute, we can not actually know that for certain. Our technology limits us in our understanding of our universe. If our tools were different or improved, that understanding would change. A good example of this is the flat earth vs. round earth controversy. Or if a point of light in the sky is a star, a planet, or a plane. By eyesight alone, we may be unable to tell. But give me a telescope and boy howdy!

Answer 4

A law is a theory that has so much scientific evidence to support it that it is almost indisputable. Newton's laws of motion are a great example of this. No law or scientific theory can be considered absolute as they all could be disproven using the scientific process.

Answer 5

Strictly speaking, any scientific "law" is a paradigm. That is to say that it is fact until pr oven incorrect and the next paradigm is adopted.

Answer 6

Gravity sucks

Answer 7

The second answer.