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by DavidHume on March 18th, 2008
Of course science is reliable. If you don't believe me, you would never get on a plane, buy something over the internet, drive a car or even wear clothes. Science never has or claims to have the final word, it is always provisional, and yet it has brought us to where we are today. If you don't agree, you certainly shouldn't be reading a website, you should be out in the woods living in a shelter without electricity or modern medicine, and getting wet when it rains.
by Carwash on March 17th, 2008
Humans are fallible, we all make mistakes. We all get funny ideas about things, strong beliefs and odd habits.
Science is not a conclusion, or a set of beliefs. It's a process. The scientific process acknowledges that humans are fallible, and attempts to eliminate errors by peer review, open criticism, evaluation, experimentation, and falsifiable prediction using hypotheses. In short, it's a way of using a group of humans to make the knowledge we gain more reliable and transferrable than knowledge gained through other means.
It doesn't mean that knowledge gained by other means is wrong, not at all. But we humans can, and do, make mistakes. Even deeply held beliefs, no matter what 'camp' or 'faction' you're in, can be wrong. Science aims to test the beliefs and hold up the ones that are more reliable.
The notion that science is unreliable because the consensus changes is a very odd one. If anything, it's proof the system works, because bad ideas are thrown out and replaced with better ones, as our knowledge and experience grows. If an idea's never changed because it's noone believes it can change, or it's never challenged or thought about, then it's not reliable.
by -Ben 10- on March 16th, 2008
Yes Science is reliable. Otherwise it's difficult to lead a life nowadays. Science has become a part and parcel of our life.
by csimme01 and Ninja Cooper UNMASKED on March 18th, 2008
Any science is a reliable as the information available to the scientists. The information available to the scientists is as reliable as the instruments available.
At first the earth was flat because the instruments available (eyes) gave the infomation (Looks flat) to the scientists. There were lots of people who saw the same thing and they all agreed, the earth is flat. Even today some of our oldest and most trusted science is coming under suspect of being wrong as we are building better instruments to get better information. This leads to confusion as science changes what is right or wrong, good or bad as better information becomes available. The health and medical fields seem to be very good at jumping the gun on making decisions with little or poor data. They kinda ruin the reputation of other science with their sloppy approach aimed at profit not real information.
by Symbeline on March 16th, 2008
Science is reliable where its proven to be, as in man using it to further the acquisition of his needs and conveniences which centuries before was a chore, or again the development of technology, but in no way are theories and things still undiscovered but studied by scientists claimed anything more until properly confirmed, or heightened further then its actual disposition.
Sure, we have pro science people that say it will solve or explain everything, but they're easily dismissed. Science is indeed not infallible as shown many times, but it is also quite reliable in many cases.
People might like to go online and argue with others about how God triumphs over science, but if it wasn't for science, you wouldn't have a computer to do it with. :p
by debsmooth on March 16th, 2008
It is because it is predictable. This is the essence of scientific theory. It is a logical explanation with a testable model that will predict a particular outcome that will either prove or disprove the theory. It works. We've put men on the moon, cured diseases and done all kinds of incredible things using the scientific method. So if you rely on your car, antibiotics or electricity, you can thank reliable science for it all.
by 23Skidoo on April 21st, 2008
Are you writing your question on a computer?
by dr james on April 14th, 2008
pure science is pretty reliable..unfortunately, science has been kidnapped by folks with agendas nowadays.
science is the study of facts and theories with the hope of advancing known thought or theory.
its seems that just in the early ages, when churches ruled science and harmed anyone that thought new thoughts different from the then current consensus;...
we are now in the throws of atheists and agnostics ruling scientific thought and trying to harm the reputations of those who try to advance scientific free thought into areas that they dont like or approve of.
by LeopardGecko - ACS on October 30th, 2009
No shit. One of the most basic foundations of science is that it has to reliable. Reliability, validity, credibility and repeatability are the big hitters.
by DA BEN DAN yanggui zi on March 18th, 2008
I believe it is. Absolutely.
by -O-uknow on March 18th, 2008
As reliable as the interpretation of repeatable findings and their proper application.
by Kal-El on March 17th, 2008
Depends on the scientist.
by Anonymous on March 16th, 2008
Science is not 100% perfect or even 50% correct. The positions on global warming, physics, life, and other areas are always changing and evolving. At one point in the (circa) 1960's to the early 1990's scientists were certain global cooling was taking place and now people believe the opposite. Though the majority of todays scientists are rather neutral on the issue and do not believe in either extreme. 100 years of data collecting is not enough to make judgments on a 4 billion year old planet.... wait a minute, science once believed the earth was only 4,000-10,000 years old...
And yes, there are the "few" who take sides with both extremes.
by CaptainHarley adores his life penguin on October 16th, 2009
It's the most reliable way of understanding reality that mankind has developed to date.
by Qmasta on September 30th, 2009
more reliable than that religous bullsh*t
by Moongrim on September 30th, 2009
Science created the computer you're typing that question on.
Yes.
by Go know thyself is THE RED QUEEN on July 18th, 2009
It is until Stephen Hawking makes a public apology and says he was wrong!
by Julia doesnt wear a COAT on October 8th, 2008
Duh! Science is the basically how you live. Without science, you wouldn't eat, drink, wear clothes, drive, or even live. Science is the building block of life!! :]
by Anon y mouse on March 16th, 2008
The scientific method is reliable in it's appropriate context.
by Thriftymaid on November 19th, 2009
It depends on who paid for it.
by pouncey on October 30th, 2009
Could be mainly just a theory if you ask me.
by hotdog on October 30th, 2009
One word answer, Yes.
by 23Skidoo on October 28th, 2009
Does your computer work?
by Franklin on October 1st, 2009
Science is a valuable and necessary resource, as long as we all realize it's still putting the puzzle pieces together, and continues to evolve.
by -O-uknow on September 30th, 2009
Science is reliable. Humans are not. Tis not the evidence that is in question but always your interpretation of it.
by john4 on September 30th, 2009
totally
by Fiddle Playing Creole Bastard on September 30th, 2009
Reliable enough to invent televisions and space travel... after a few tries of course.
by Firebrand on September 30th, 2009
Certainly Science is reliable.
What would you rather speculation?
by Jessica on September 30th, 2009
Yes
by malevolentbutticklis on September 30th, 2009
Yes.
by themyelinsheath on September 30th, 2009
Of course. Science is based on fact. The scientific method leaves no room for guessing.
by Thriftymaid on September 30th, 2009
It depends on who's paying for it.
by 23Skidoo on September 30th, 2009
Did your computer fire up when you turned it on?
+5
by Parepidemos on August 18th, 2009
Not completely reliable because it's conducted by fallible and inperfect human-beings.
by Legend In Your Own Mind on August 10th, 2009
Oh no...you're only imagining typing on a computer.. You're really carving it in a rock and we all just happened by and carved answers.. duh..
by teddy van geemen on July 18th, 2009
As far as "predictive capacity" is concerned, science is certainly the more immediate and the more reliable of the two. Given time and random co-incidence religion could conceiveably fulfill its predictions. Which would you like to rely on in a life and death situation?
by CaptainHarley adores his life penguin on July 18th, 2009
Not 100%, but it's sure far ahead of whatever's second best.
by Fearless on July 18th, 2009
without science where would you be today?
by Ms.A on October 8th, 2008
Not all the time.The world used to be flat,remember?
by Mephistopheles on October 8th, 2008
You are here, isn't that proof enough?
by maesterthief on March 16th, 2008
Yeah, but modern scientists aren't. You know it is bad when Newton's law of gravity is debased to a theory.
by Nada Normal on March 16th, 2008
only as reliable as the people behind it, they will soon prove they don't exsist and we will all be better off without them
by LEO on December 7th, 2009
Science welcomes skepticism and data has always been subject to scrutiny. This natural process of questioning and seeking truth is subject to change.
by Sharona Life is a Tale Told by an Idiot on November 10th, 2009
It is a stepping stone to the reliable.
by ScienceSwamy on November 5th, 2009
The idiot 'Christian chemist' can't even ask the right question!
S/He should have asked,
"Are all scientists always reliable"?
And then he would have got the obvious answer "no",
[they can't be, they are human]
even before posting that question on AB!
*
Science is 100% reliable,
because when it isn't sure, a scientist just says so,
it's always 'work in progress' as another answer says!
*
NO 'beating around the burning bush',
'reading between the lines',
'multiple interpretations'
or
other apologies employed by the 'blind-faithful' frauds & godp imps --or Christian chemists!
by doc blott on November 5th, 2009
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo..no no no
by Wind in the Willow on October 30th, 2009
Science is only true for now. We have eternity. We know squat. The only constant is change and what we have proven scientifically has certainly changed even though the centuries up to now.
by Chubbychaser84 on October 30th, 2009
All the evidence is supports what is there.
by I Am Gone on October 28th, 2009
Most of the times.
by itinary on October 28th, 2009
Science is incomplete and it can change any time. It is based on observation and have no control over nature.
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