Does anybody else not belive in Science?

Question

It might sound sort of strange, but I honestly don't believe in science, like atoms and elements, things like that. I think it's all just made up.. Am I the only one?

It might sound sort of strange, but I honestly don't believe in science, like atoms and elements, things like that. I think it's all just made up.. Am I the only one?

**I didn't mean that it's all just made up, I meant that since it's from indirect evidence, how do we know that what we have been taught is correct. And don't go busting on me just because I asked a question PLEASE. If you don't agree with me, that's cool, keep it to yourself.

**Maybe I was just born in the wrong generation.

Answer 1

It's one thing to be skeptical and want to know the reasoning behind things. It's quite another to say that you don't believe in something because you don't comprehend it.

If you don't believe that matter is composed of elements and atoms then please tell us your own theories so we can compare what you believe and the atomic theory.

I cannot come on here and just say 'hey, I don't believe airplanes are real.' I would need to offer my own explanation of those things in the air.

Since atoms are too small to be seen microscopically, except perhaps with the strongest electron microscopes, you could use the words 'indirect evidence'. But we do see enough of their effects that we can, with confidence, describe the nature of atoms. Such effects are predictable, measureable, and undeniable. We have quite a few instruments to measure the properties and behavior of atoms. The most common method is to shoot the atoms through an easy-to-ionize gas or liquid. Argon is the most common. (Unless you don't believe in Argon- in that case, let's just call it Mystery Gas X). As the atoms or even pieces of atoms fly through the gas electrons are stripped off of them and are left behind. We drift those loose electrons to a collection device, a wire or panel, and measure the charge. It is a little more complex than that, but it works well enough that we get consistent results. It's like putting together a puzzle that's missing some pieces. If you get enough pieces in the right place you can tell what the picture is even though it still has holes.

The theory of the atomic particle is able to accurately describe and predict behavior of gases and other kinds of matter. As always, the test of any scientific theory is whether or not it works. Dalton's atomic theory has been subjected to testing and it does in fact work to explain the properties of matter.

Molecules are made of atoms. Most molecules, like a molecule of water are a combination of two or more different kinds of matter. If you subject pure water to the proper conditions, you can cause it to divide or decompose to form hydrogen molecules and oxygen molecules (H2 and O2). However, no matter what you do to the hydrogen or the oxygen, there is no way to break either of those gases into other kinds of matter. As a result, it is possible to classify materials as either compounds, matter like water that could be decomposed into simpler constituents, and elements, matter that containd only one kind of atom in its molecules.

Even the atom is not the smallest part of matter. There are sub-atomic particles, only a few, and these are arranged in different ways to make the atoms of the elements which are then arranged in different ways to make the molecules of compounds. Protons hold a positive electric charge. Electrons have a negative charge.

The uranium atom decays spontaneously to form a different element, thorium by emitting a high speed, positively charged particle called the Alpha particle. This and Carbon 14 are used to date objects. If you deny atoms, you deny the works of Archeologists.

Experiments by Rutherford showed that atoms have a massive, positively charged nucleus that holds all the protons and that the volume or size of the atom is created by a cloud of electrons. Such views are not simply guessed at, he conducted experiments with gold to reach his findings.

Soon followed the discovery of a third sub-atomic particle, the neutron, a neutral particle that occurs in the nucleus with the protons. A typical atom consists of a nucleus with protons and neutrons surrounded by electrons. The atom, itself, is about 1/100,000,000 of a cm. in diameter. 100 million can fit end to end across your little finger. The nucleus is 10,000 times smaller in diameter. This means that the size of the atom must be derived from an electron cloud which creates a negative charge and repels all other atoms because they also have a negative cloud. However, although size is created by electrons, mass of the atom comes from the nucleus. Protons and neutrons are more than a thousand times heavier than an electron.

The chemistry of the atom is determined by the number of protons in the nucleus. All hydrogen atoms have 1 proton; all carbon atoms have 6, and all uranium atoms have 92. Atoms of an element may have different numbers of neutrons in their nucleus.

Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon. It is formed when nitrogen in the atmosphere is struck by a cosmic ray causing one of the seven protons in the nitrogen nucleus to change into a neutron.

It does not matter what you call these 'things'. You can come up with your own names for them if you don't want to say 'atom'. But the fact that they exist is undeniable.

Modern chemistry is based upon the fact that atoms exist. If you deny in it's existence, then you also deny the existence of medicine and pharmacy.

You would have to deny the existence of agricultural fertilizers and chemicals.

You would have to deny the existence of household cleaners and disinfectants and insect sprays.

You would have to deny that your water plant is treating your water supply with flouride.

You would have to deny that there is a difference between oxygen that you breathe and helium that can cause a balloon to float in the sky.

If it's just a matter of comprehension, the library has many good beginning books about atoms and matter.

Sometimes it's fun to be original but the position should be based upon something concrete. Not just a whimsical notion.

I dread seeing a 'are atoms and elements a hoax' craze on y/a. Or a theory that the government is secretly hiding information on what matter is REALLY composed of.

Please do not homeschool your children to deny the existence of atoms and elements. Keep in mind that your opinion is a radical one and is not based upon sound proof or evidence.

Answer 2

I agree wholeheartedly.

I mean, despite the peer editing by scientists and the constant verification of scientific claims through the spoils of modern society (cars, iphones, the computer you're using, medicine, preservatives, beauty products), I guess you're right. Science is based entirely on falsifiable claims, so it can never be proven right! It's all just a bunch of B.S. that just HAPPENS to work perfectly and consistently in society.

The whole thing about atoms and elements is completely absurd. Even if we can predict exactly how substances will act when mixed or tampered with using information derived from scientific information, I am certain that it is all coincidence and that our ability to verify those false claims is all just a bunch of bologna.

It's nice to know some other people see it my way when it comes to science!

Answer 3

Well, you are right. It is all just made up. Science is a way of thinking, and not actual Truth or "reality". One way to think about how things like fire can happen is thinking up rules that say things like atoms will form molecules and they can split apart and combine with atoms from other molecules to release heat. It is all just thinking. Science is a way of organizing thinking. If it allows us to do useful things like build an engine that can be part of an airplane that can fly, or to build a rocket to send to the Moon and it gets there, then it is a useful way to think. And since people are always coming up with new and different ideas, science changes all the time. But if the change does not allow us to do even more useful things, then we just abandon those ideas and find others. That is the progress of science. It is an accumulation of good ideas about how to think. Many of the new ideas build on the old ideas, so they are all related. But every so often, there is a revolution in science, like relativity or quantum mechanics, that shows the old ideas to be totally wrong. Then we have to start over from almost nothing. But while we are doing that we keep the old ideas as long as they are useful, even if we know there are problems with them.

Answer 4

My thoughts exactly. Well almost ... im a bit fuzzy though on the whole thing where the stars create the elements etc that can be found on the planets and how this all pans out. I guess you will never find a planet exactly the same as earth but there could be hundreds and thousands IDK that are very similar in various fundamental respects. The only thing im sure of is that colonization of other planets wouldn't be possible. Apart from our technological or perhaps more human nature limitations on this planet its been 40 yrs since the moon landing with no progress towards bigger an better things since. The problem would be other worlds are not in our genes the viruses and diseases would surly destroy us in an instant. Our world is in our genes we grew up symbiotically with the plants and animals here. They support and sustain us, The same would not be able to be said for the flora and fauna of another planet. Maybe it could be similar but altimately to diff for us i suspect to enable us to flourish.

Answer 5

I don't believe in religions, either, as they're all made up by humans, not God ( or there wouldn't be so many, only one ). Man can only make imperfect observations, so you have to go with your best choices. True, atoms and electrons are probably not "ball shaped" like in the science books. Who really knows? Maybe it's just energy in some form, and we see it as "solid", because of our eyeball design. It's good to question, but unless you have a BETTER suggestion or facts, you can't call the theorists who made up the science descriptions liars, either.

- The Gremlin Guy -

Answer 6

It's a good thing everyone doesn't think like you, or else we'd still live in the Dark Ages.

If it weren't true, or at least a reasonably accurate model, you wouldn't be able to send out such a question. Your computer quite literally depends on it, as do the phone lines (or fiber optics) that carried your message to the servers and passed it along to all of us to read.

Answer 7

Science isn't belief. It's all about drawing logical conclusions from empirical evidence. Atomic theory has an overwhelming amount of supporting evidence from real-world applications (including computers).

Just because we can't directly see something doesn't mean it can't exist; we can't see carbon monoxide, but it most certainly exists because it kills people.

Answer 8

Next time you are really sick, get hit by a car or something, why don't you stand up for for what you believe in and DON'T go to the doctor or hospital. Refuse their medications and x-rays because according to you they DON'T work.

I bet any money you wouldn't refuse treatment. If you were in great pain with a broken leg, you'd say, YES give me an x-ray, set my broken limbs in plaster, give me pain killers.
You say YES because you know that x-rays exist and will help you, you know that the elements that make up pain killers exist and will ease your pain, you know that the elements that make up plaster of paris combined with H2O make an exellent compound to set broken limbs. You say YES because you believe in SCIENCE.

I don't know why I bother with questions like this.
Oh well, it's 2 points.

Answer 9

No, you're not the only one. There are others like you. They live in caves. Sometimes they come out and live on farms and we call them the Amish.

YOU'RE TYPING ON A COMPUTER, you couldn't do that if science didn't work.

Answer 10

Olivia -

Fortunately, belief has little to do with it. The more you read, the more you will understand, and the less you will have to rely on belief. I am talking about science, not religion. So - keep reading, and see what happens!