A Conversation for Views on Creation

Something to consider...

Post 1

26199

Does the likelihood of being right increase or decrease with the number of people you're aware of having been wrong before you?

Surely every such discounted idea contributes to your knowledge about the problem; therefore, it is a fallacy to say that simply because many people have been wrong before, there is reasonable chance we are wrong now. I've heard this argument time and time again, and it's never impressed me...

This without saying anything about theories of creation specifically. I'm aware that the physics involved is currently beyond my understanding; I'm not in a position to make judgements about it. It seems that there are some very intelligent people who are, and for now I'm not going to try and argue with them.

*shrug*

26199


Something to consider...

Post 2

Jim diGriz

Agreed. Also, I think that most scientists would be very reluctant to state that the current theories of the creation are definitely correct in all details. In fact, we *know* that they're not.

That's one of the main differences between the scientific method and just plain belief; science has its own built-in means for correcting itself.

However, I think that most would agree that the *broad* thrust of the big-bang theory is correct.

I also don't think it's fair to say that we 'laugh' at ancient beliefs. I certainly don't, even though I do not credit them one bit with any resemblance to reality. They are genuine attempts by smart humans to explain how things are, and they did it in the absence of a fleshed-out philosophy of scientific method. I think, on the contrary, that the myths are a tribute to the creativity of the human mind, taking its first faltering steps out of the animal world into civilisation; a process that is still not complete.

We don't laugh at the ether theory of 100 years ago. It was a perfectly good theory at the time, but it turned out to be wrong.

Likewise, provided the scientific method survives into the future (and I can't really see it dying out), I don't think that future generations will be laughing at our ideas. We may have lots of stuff totally and utterly wrong, but our theories are our best attempt to understand the world based on our experiments and models of reality.

And at least with science we are prepared to admit that we don't have all the answers; heck, we go out of the way to find out what is *wrong* with our ideas.


Something to consider...

Post 3

Jim diGriz

Maybe I should point out that I did like and enjoy the article! smiley - smiley


Something to consider...

Post 4

No O2

Thanks, Jim, I appreciate your comment, and as I said in a post in a parallel thread, I am mildly intimidated by the extremely intelligent discussion I've seen in response to what I thought was going to fade away into oblivion like my other Approved Entries! smiley - smiley All I'll say to beleaguer this short response is that, as Santayana once said, those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it (admittedly there is some debate over whether he said "condemned" or "doomed," but we get the point). Although I've no idea whatsoever whether or not our various theories on the workings of the galaxy will end up being proved spot-on or will end up being proved laughably far off, I figure that it should be interesting finding out, one way or another. If indeed we ever do!


Something to consider...

Post 5

Blatherskite the Mugwump - Bandwidth Bandit

Very nice article, No O2. Would you be willing to allow me to link it at the Freedom From Faith Foundation? We've got several articles attacking the popular mythology, but not much in the way of hard science for the unpopular type. It's over here, if you want to take a look before approving: http://www.h2g2.com/a254314


Something to consider...

Post 6

No O2

No problem, Colonel. Link away. And I'll be sure to check out your forum, too...I'm sure it's an excellent one!


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