Posted by Ritch on April 18, 2002, at 8:21:26
In reply to Re: Need help to refute the anti-biological camp, posted by Chris A on April 17, 2002, at 23:01:14
> Does this mean that nothing ever becomes fact? Guess I need to have my 18 year old refresh my brain regarding the scientific method. I have working theories, but I want to be right!!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chris A.
Hi Chris,It would be more accurate to say that theories never are "really" true (scientifically speaking). They are never the "last word" on anything. There always *could* be more facts turn up that could cast doubt on the current working theory that appears to be the last word. Facts are just the tidbits of empirical data picked up with your senses that are interpreted by your mind. Given that, different people are going to have somewhat different views and hence different competing theories to explain phenomenona either because they dispute certain "evidence" or "facts" (whether it should be considered as pertinent at all), or they dispute the *interpretation* of accepted evidence or BOTH. I found it interesting reading about the putative mechanism that explains how lithium "works" to stabilize mood. It *is* a theory, but as time passes and evidence gets collected there is a tendency for things to get, well, a little more complicated. When a new theory comes about as an alternative explanation to unseat the current one it tends to have a simpler sound and feel to it. Since we *prefer* things to have simple explanations over complicated ones-it tends to be very alluring for good or ill.
Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:103336
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020416/msgs/103415.html