Quote:
Originally Posted by Alter2Ego
Eldrick:
You do realize that Gravity is not only a theory; correct? That's what I told another atheist a while back when he came with the same argument that you are using, namely: the "gravity is a theory" argument. Every informed person reading this thread can figure out what you are trying to accomplish with that argument. We are expected to draw the following conclusion:
Since we know gravity exists and gravity is a theory, then evolution must likewise be a reality because evolution, too, is a theory. You seem ignorant of the fact that gravity is not merely a theory. It is also a scientific LAW.
A scientific theory is nothing more than a group of hypotheses aka educated guesses. A scientific law, on the other hand, is defined as "a statement of fact, deduced from observation."
https://www.britannica.com/science/N...of-gravitation
At no time has any theory been given the definition "fact." Not once.
BTW: I never claimed to be a scientist. Your "Please do not pretend to be a Scientist" comment applies to you as well.
Alter2Ego
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"That people may know that you, whose name is JEHOVAH, you alone are the Most High over all the earth." ~ Psalms 83:18
Just to educate you (and yes I AM a scientist, so IÂ’m not pretending to be one) - theories donÂ’t become laws. Theories and laws are two completely different things in science. A law is simply a description of some regular pattern in nature. The law of gravity, for example states that there is an attraction between any two bodies in the universe that is directly proportional to the masses of the bodies and inversely proportional to the square of the distance separating them. A law is ONLY a description.
A theory on the other hand is an explanation of some set of phenomena. General relativity is a theory of gravity. It says that the apparent attraction between bodies is caused by the curvature of spacetime created by the presence of energy. Theories provide an overarching framework for understanding some aspect of the universe. They suggest further observations and research and are supported by multiple lines of evidence. Theories are really the goal of science.
It is not true that laws are somehow on firmer footing than theories. For the case of gravity the opposite is actually true. The law of gravity is superseded by the theory, and the law gives wrong answers in certain cases. The first of these to be discovered historically was the orbit of the planet Mercury. The law of gravity predicts a slightly diffeeent orbit than what actually is observed. The theory of gravity gives the correct orbit.
Neither laws nor theories can ever be proven - science doesnÂ’t do proof, not in the logical sense anyway. The law of gravity (besides being demonstrably wrong in some situations) cannot be proven because is says that ALL bodies attract and gives the quantitative attraction. Unless you measure the attraction between all pairs of bodies and confirm that it matches the law, you cannot prove the law. You can provide evidence for the law though by working out observations that youÂ’d see if itÂ’s true - like calculating planetary orbits for example. If observations and calculations agree, you have evidence. The best way to try to establish a law is to find situations where it is disproven. If we cannot find such situations, despite our best efforts, we gain confidence in the law.
The process for theories is identical. We work out what we should observe if itÂ’s true and try to find observations that disprove the theory. If we do, we reject the theory; if we canÂ’t we gain confidence in it. Nothing ever is proven, though, whether law or theory.
