Quote Originally Posted by thir View Post
Well, seems to me many scientists try to monopolise reality. If they do not have it in their books, it isn't there.
That's not quite it. If it cannot be measured, cannot be touched, cannot be seen, and does not appear to have any measurable effects on the universe around us, then for all intents and purposes it doesn't exist. Even if it does exist, if it has no effects upon us, then it might as well not exist. That doesn't mean that sometime down the road we won't develop a means to detect it, if it's there. And if we should do so we would certainly have to revise our hypotheses about the existence of gods. As would the religious.
I do not think so, there will always be more! Even if we manage to survive the next hundreds or thousands of years.
I tend to agree. But infinity is a funny thing. If humanity manages to survive long enough, who knows what is possible?
Wrong. There is enough research that proves that placebo works, even when you know it is placebo. You can learn to use that.
To some extent, perhaps. Though most of what I've read indicates that if the patient KNOWS it is a placebo it's unlikely to work. Most of the benefits from the placebo effect (as I understand it) seem to allow the body to relax, relieving stress, and letting the natural systems work to their full potential. Very similar to the effects of prayer, I believe.
And weapens, pollution, overpopulation...science helps us eat up the world.
And science will help us repair the damage we've done, if we allow it. Of course that would require sacrifice from everyone, something which is not likely to happen voluntarily.
Science isn't something mysterious that comes from above or out of nowhere! Scientists are people, and they are responsible for their results, and should be using their heads!
Very true. Science is a process. The scientific method is the best tool we have to make sure that science is done properly and that results mirror reality. Yes, scientists are people, and can be just as corrupt and dogmatic as any other people. But the method tends to expose such, eventually, and helps to insure that progress marches on. Sometimes there are steps backwards, and mostly the forward steps are baby steps, but the general movement is towards a better understanding of reality.
I do not buy the idea that if it is called scientific, then anything goes.
Neither do I.