Re: [asa] fact vs. theory

Bernie:

> An atheist in my discussion group wrote the following. Any comments?
> It doesn't seem right to me to say the heliocentric model is a
> theory, not a fact. I think his (unstated) point is that evolution
> is a theory, but it is still very solid just as the heliocentric view
> of the solar system is only a theory.

Actually, I think the statement you quote is quite good. It is very
close to what I myself state when talking about the nature of science.
From a scientific view there really are no facts beyond brute
observations -- and many of those are subject to error and
misperceptions. Facts are also rather uninteresting, they don't
explain anything. Theories are what science is about -- the synthesis
of observations into persistent patterns that enable us to make sense
of diverse observations and predict certain outcomes. Theories are
always subject to modification, if not rejection.

Keith

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Received on Tue, 3 Feb 2009 11:41:00 -0600