Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Hank Kerchief
"If there are sceintific truths which are "untestable," could you please name one."

For one thing, most science makes the assumption that the laws of nature do not vary significantly over space and time: nature is uniform. Secondly, you are using a variant of logical positivism as the criterion of truth (you must be able to verify in some way your hypothesis, or at least falsify others). But the verifiability criterion itself cannot be verified.
37 posted on 04/06/2003 12:45:15 PM PDT by NukeMan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies ]


To: NukeMan
But the verifiability criterion itself cannot be verified.

Technically, it is not a criterion, it is a definition. This is what is meant by proof, a, b, c, and d, and a is, the hypothesis must be able to be proved by a test that it can only pass if it is correct.

You want to use a different definition, fine. Please tell us what it is, though, before expecting those of us who want some a reason for believing something is true, to do so.

I think you also miss the point of falsifiability. All is says is, if you give something a test, any kind of test, and it can pass the test, whether it is right or wrong, the test doesn't test anything. It doesn't even say you have to give anything a test.

Hank

81 posted on 04/06/2003 4:15:08 PM PDT by Hank Kerchief
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson