How does science officially deal with "miracles" or "supernatural" anomalies?

Question

In other words, if someone dropped an object in midair and it didn't fall to the ground would scientific theories like the theory of gravity need to be re-examined (obviously not rejecting the observed effects and behaviors we are already accustomed to witnessing, but to expand our understanding of how gravity works and eliminating the notion that an object of any mass must ALWAYS fall to the ground when dropped). Or would we just categorize it as "supernatural" and unrelated to existing scientific understanding and current models?

Answer 1

Science deals with everything the same way: by trying to figure out what's going on.

We *already* know of things that can be released in midair without them dropping to the ground. Helium balloons are a good example.

One tenet of scientific research is that if you do an experiment right, you will get repeatable results. If the result are different, the tenet says, then you didn't do the same thing each time - and it's time to examine your experiment to determine what factor didn't remain constant.

Science doesn't recognize "supernatural". There is always a cause for everything. As Einstein phrased it, "God doesn't play dice with the universe." Note that this continues to be true even as science embraces chaos theory....

Answer 2

Science has been re-examining so called Truths since the begining of time.
There is a saying in science that one mans technology is another man's mysticism.
So there may be some technology going on in your example that we can't see or understand now but can and should be researched.
As for the theory of gravity, it is a proven theory. Newton's theory has proven true in all circumstances so until this theoretical object floats there is really no reason to question Newton.

Answer 3

Speaking as a Scientist (Molecular Biology), if something in a miracle or supernatural, I accept it as such. Not every thing needs to be explained by science at least not for me. I work in the field of genetics, and even though I know the entire process from monoploid division through the birth of a child, and I still think it is a miracle. More so because I know that there are a million things that can go wrong.

c-ya

Answer 4

There is an official Board of Inquiry of the Establishment of Science to deal with such things. A blue ribbon panel of distinguished professors is tasked by the board to investigate reports of miracles. Their task is identify an acceptable explanation consistent with Canonical Physical Law and report back to the Board.

Answer 5

Science IS the explanation of events, even the ones that may initially appear to be "supernatural". Science presupposes that there is explanation for everything we see, so science assumes there is no such thing as "supernatural", and so far, has a pretty good record of it.