2007-07-16 08:35:58 · 8 answers · asked by Cyprus.1 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I'm assuming (I know, a dangerous practice) that by "research" you are referring to what is generally meant by "scientific research or enquiry" as opposed to a literary or phylosophical research. And that by "prove" you mean it in the conventional sense of "to establish as unquestionable fact".
If so, the answer is clearly no. All conclusions in science are tentative statements about nature that are in themselves subject to testing. The best one can do is to conclude to a finite degree of probability less than 100% that a result is not the product of chance alone. That being said, the typical standard in science is 95% or 99% likelihood of a non-chance outcome.
2007-07-16 08:57:57 · answer #1 · answered by ? 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It is highly unlikely that conclusive proof would be found that met everyone approval. Research does mean that there are written or visual facts that relate to your own questions. Those historically kept records of past happenings already proved to the best of scientific evidence could be assumed to be proved.
Spartawo...
2007-07-16 16:29:21 · answer #2 · answered by spartaworld.combat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I write to answer your question because you sent me an email message that I should. The best answer to date is that of ron971, to whom you should award full points. In his sentence, "The best one can do..." he says that one can refute the null hypothesis. The null hypothesis is that what one sees is the result of chance. It would have happened anyway. In his sentence, "All conclusions in science," he states the truth that any hypothesis put forth should be falsifiable. That means that one should be able to think of a test that would prove the hypothesis false. If one cannot think of such a test, back off.
One cannot disprove a negative. One can always (if one is correct) disprove the positive argument.
2007-07-16 16:54:41 · answer #3 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Scientifically - yes.
Philosphically - no.
Opinion - no.
Religiously - no.
Historically - yes, but biased by those who wrote it.
So generally, yes, you can prove somethings via research.
2007-07-16 15:53:43 · answer #4 · answered by Spiral Wizard 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
How else can you prove anything?
2007-07-16 18:12:40 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes however objectivity in science is a really gray area.
2007-07-16 16:48:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes , that you are willing to find knowledge and that hard work pays off if only to disspell the current rumor , or , fad .
2007-07-16 16:10:47 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course how do you think we turn theories into facts.
2007-07-16 15:47:28 · answer #8 · answered by ads421 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋