Many people quote "scientific" fact for evolution, global warming, abortion, etc... But if the general public is unable to verify these results themselves, then in affect, isn't using secondary source (not you) "scientific evidence" to back up something you say simply an appeal to authority or an appeal to tradition? If "90%" of the world scientists say it's true, isn't this an appeal to the mass?
Someone said I was not a man of science because I did not believe something a scientist said. This seems contradictory, at least...
2007-07-16 08:17:15 · 9 answers · asked by nom de paix 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
It is definitely the "appeal to authority" approach. "Scientists" said so, therefore it must be true. Yeah, right...whatever. "Scientists" used to think all sorts of crazy things in the past.....
No, we cannot test hypotheses such as "human activity is causing the planet to warm up" because:
1) credible data exists to counteract this claim--the planet could be warming up as part of a much longer climate pattern that has played itself out before and
2) now, this the THE most important fact to remember--in the course of normal scientific research there must be a control, an experiment that contains a mimimum of random variables, against which to test the experiment BUT THERE IS NO "CONTROL" POSSIBLE FOR CLIMATE RESEARCH. That is to say, there no Earth that contains no humans that we may use to compare against our Earth. This means that any claim that "global warming is caused by humans" DOES NOT FOLLOW THE ESTABLISHED SCIENTIFIC METHOD.
2007-07-16 08:26:06 · answer #1 · answered by Mathsorcerer 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Utlimately in any field of knowledge there is the limitation of "the best we've been able to come up with so far". The big difference between science and religion is that science encourages challenges to the "conventional wisdom" whereas religion offers you a one-way ticket to hell for your "heresy". Science is always searching for a better explanation of the truth. Religion, even with an explanation that is wanting in so many respects, claims to already have a perfect explanation. Science incorporates good ideas that are thousands of years old because they have stood up to challenges. Ideas that have not tood to such challenges have been rejected. Religion is stuck with bad ideas that are thousands of years old because it is not permissible to challenge them.
2007-07-16 08:53:54 · answer #2 · answered by frugernity 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Fallacy of "appeal to authority" applies when an individual cites an illegitimate authority. For example, if I want to discuss the theory of relativity, I'd be perfectly reasonable to cite Albert Einstein even if I don't understand the theory myself. However, if I wanted to discuss the futility of religion or something else unrelated or irrelevant, and I cited Albert Einstein, I'd be committing the fallacy of appeal to authority because Einstein is not an authority on religious matters. It's appropriate to appeal to correct authorities.
2007-07-16 08:22:25 · answer #3 · answered by TheOrange Evil 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
So what you're saying is that, if there is a field in which you have no experience or advanced understanding, you should not accept the word of those who do simply because you, without your experience or advanced understanding, cannot tell if what they say is true or not?
Try that next time you visit the doctor, OK?
2007-07-16 08:25:04 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I could be interpreted in that way, however when the authority in question has evidence and those detrators do not, it makes it difficult to call it an appeal. More like common sense.
2007-07-16 08:21:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
That person is F*cking retarded.
So just cuz i disagree some psycho scientists says that the earth is gonna crack in half if we all jump at the same time, I'm not a man of science?
2007-07-16 08:21:14 · answer #6 · answered by asdfasdf 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
so am I supped to independently verify everything
must I verify all medical procedures by doing years of painstaking research before visiting a doctor
should I verify all the physics involved in a microwave before using one
no, It's ludicrous to suggest that we must personally investigate everything before accepting their validity
2007-07-16 08:22:38 · answer #7 · answered by Nick F 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Getting results from experiments is different from hearing a voice in your head.
2007-07-16 08:21:13 · answer #8 · answered by Irreverend 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they thought Copernicus was crazy for suggesting that the sun rather than the Earth was at the center of the solar system.
2007-07-16 08:22:25 · answer #9 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋