Some people believe that scientific discoveries have given us a much better understanding of the world around us. Others believe that science has revealed to us that the world is infinitely more complex than we ever realized.
Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should address both of the views presented.
Many people believe that scientific discoveries have allowed us to view the world in a new light and that scientific knowledge has forever changed our view of the world. This belief maintains that our knowledge of the universe has deepened and that science has provided us with a greater understanding of the world around us. While these observations may be true, they fail to take into account the limitations of our scientific knowledge. Science is limited by the laws of logic, mathematics, and observation. It cannot encompass everything, and it cannot answer all questions
The first problem facing science is the matter of logic. The laws of nature are logical, but human logic is not. Human logic is subjective, and it cannot be applied to everything. For example, consider two human logics, one dealing with two lovers who have been separated for many years and the other dealing with two lovers who have been together for many years. In the first example, the lovers meet, fall in love, and marry. In the second example, the lovers meet, fall out of love, and marry. In the first case, logic dictates that the marriage will last indefinitely. In the second case, logic dictates that the marriage will not last. Science has no way to account for situations such as these, where human logic is at odds with the laws of nature. Science is also limited in its ability to deal with relationships. Scientists cannot explain a child’s behavior or that of an adult based on the laws of nature. Instead, scientists must use their own observations or those of their colleagues to study behavior. This limits the types of questions that can be asked
The second problem facing science is the matter of mathematics. The laws of nature are mathematical, but human mathematics is not. The laws of physics, for example, must satisfy certain mathematical equations. However, human mathematics is not capable of solving every mathematical equation, and it does not always work. For example, consider two human mathematics, one dealing with mathematics involving two cubes and the other dealing with mathematics involving two cubes and a cube. In the first example, one cube is 10 square units high and one cube is 10 square units high. In the second example, one cube is 1 square unit high and one cube is 1 square unit high. In the first example, both cubes are 10 square units high. In the second example, one cube is 1 square unit high and the other is 1 square unit high, but it satisfies the mathematical equation for height. In the second example, neither cube is 10 square units high. When applied in the real world, human mathematics may not yield expected results
The third problem facing science is the matter of observation. The laws of physics may be mathematically sound, but they may not be observed. Scientists cannot observe the laws of the universe. For example, physicists cannot observe the laws that govern gravity, because gravity is invisible. Thus, they cannot observe gravity at work. Scientists can observe the effects of gravity in macroscopic objects, such as a car crashing, but they cannot observe gravity at work
When these limitations are taken into account, it becomes clear that scientific discoveries do not tell us everything that we need to know about the universe. Instead, they show us that our limited knowledge of the universe must be expanded. We cannot assume that the universe is logical, mathematical, and observable. This assumption means that our knowledge of the universe is limited. This limitation means that we cannot assume that the laws of the universe do not change or that they cannot be broken. Additionally, we do not know everything in the universe. Instead, we must accept that there are still mysteries to be uncovered, and we must continue to develop our scientific knowledge.