Scientists are sometimes wrong. Whut?

[rahullak]

Is the conversation going where I think it's going? "Clima...

 

[Gary7]

I think the significance of that science at a time, even a long time, can be wrong is that while people admit it can be often its claims are treated as irrefutable fact and used as the basis for setting or changing policies regardless of how costly or destructive the policies may be. Seriously bearing in mind that (seemingly) well-supported scientific claims can be wrong of course would and should make people more reluctant to bear costs of a policy on the grounds that scientists say we must.

There is always the balance of scientific truths utilized for setting viable social policies. It does sometimes go awry with people turning the screws too tight, regulations that are unnecessarily limiting or causing more problems for one business segment than others. Finding the balance is key... rather than ripping it all out from the roots as if it were a bad idea to begin with.

Funny thing is, policy isn't treated like a valued product these days. Consider all the time and effort spent to create a policy. It has an intrinsic cost. If ripped from the board and tossed into the scrap heap, all that value goes out the window. Most of the time, there was good reason to institute a policy. The only trouble is that it wasn't perfect. And thus, it requires MODIFICATION. The truths from Science should be utilized for that... instead of political gain predominantly for one party.

 

[Qonundrum]

Scientists are sometimes wrong. Non-scientists are always wrong.

So those ten commandments are all lies? Doesn't that violate one of the commandments?

(Okay, in seriousness not everything in religion is wrong. But a lot of people find religion more akin to "ancient psychology" than science when all is said and done. That's what one of my shrinks said.)

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I meant more along the lines of, non scientists are always wrong about the way the physical world works. Not in terms of moral philosophy.

Let scientists determine what is, and let philosophers determine what should.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

The New Testament has a lot to say about how to treat people. Just nothing to say about how the physical world functions, how to cure illnesses, what the stars are, how gravity works, or how the Earth formed.