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To: Alamo-Girl
is not an anti-science argument.

It was supposedly an example of a time science was wrong. I think it's fair to label an assertion that something was wrong an "anti-something" assertion. But no big deal.

Science rarely elevates a theory to a "law" and instead speaks of evidence accruing for or against theories. Ditto for taxonomy whether classifying a planet or a fossil.

The point is that the evidence didn't change, and the question of whether Pluto is a planet or not wasn't a theory. We didn't learn anything new about Pluto that led us to reclassify it--it was purely definitional and entirely up to science how to define "planet." Right or wrong doesn't enter into it.

259 posted on 01/09/2009 11:30:10 PM PST by Ha Ha Thats Very Logical
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To: Ha Ha Thats Very Logical; metmom; betty boop
It was supposedly an example of a time science was wrong. I think it's fair to label an assertion that something was wrong an "anti-something" assertion. But no big deal.

That Newton was wrong - and that Hubble was right - were both big deals to Einstein.

Scientists argue amongst themselves all the time and we all benefit from it. Ditto for politicians, philosophers, mathematicians, Joe-six-packs, etc.

Scientists calling an argument from a non-scientist (e.g. mathematician, philosopher, theologian, etc.) ipso facto "anti-science" is unseemly in a country founded on freedom of speech.

Besides, if we were to build a tree of inquiry like the tree of life - it would become obvious science branched from philosophy and that mathematics is closer to its philosophical roots.

268 posted on 01/10/2009 10:16:17 AM PST by Alamo-Girl
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