From: Howard J. Van Till (hvantill@chartermi.net)
Date: Wed Oct 08 2003 - 10:15:51 EDT
>From: "Josh Bembenek" <jbembe@hotmail.com>
> This is why I advocate critical thinking as an essential tool for believers,
> I believe it is the only way to avoid falling into a biased view due to
> someone's clever, but wrong, teachings.
Well said,
> And to reiterate, as quoted from Howard, there is no strict
> logical way to prove historical science (unless somebody here is holding out
> their time travel discoveries on us), so we will have to settle for an
> informed judgement... and stick with our belief.
Sort of, but....
No scientific theory (whether in the historical sciences or not) can be
PROVED true in the strict logical sense. All scientific theories are
underdetermined by the data. Alternative theories can always be crafted. So,
we have no choice but to rely on well-informed judgment regarding the
explanatory adequacy/success of any particular theory -- judgment based on
relevant epistemic criteria.
Sometimes, however, that informed judgment might well lead a person or a
community to abandon a belief once held and to modify the reigning system of
beliefs. That's what led the scientific community to abandon both flood
geology and special creation.
Howard Van Till
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