Science Changes Its Mind

[naomi24]

New Horizons spacecraft 'alters theory of planet formation'.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51295365

Perhaps now we may now once again open up this section to all and sundry releasing it from the ridiculous imposition that anything posted here must conform to current scientific thinking. Current scientific thinking is often short lived.

[jim360]

Just new guidance, really, that posts in the science board should be broadly scientific in their content. Although Naomi insists this is about dogma it's actually more to do with methodology, ie presenting ideas that have overwhelming evidence against them is clearly unscientific.

[ToraToraTora]

what are you on about sanmac? can you post proof I have heard of the new rules?

[sanmac]

Sorry, TTT, I forgot the "smiley thingy".

[Zacs-Master]

The wording atop the science section reads ‘ remove answers that are misleading, e.g. by implying that a statement is a scientific theory or law when it is not’

That’s not a reference to methodology.

[jim360]

Not explicitly, bit since scientific laws are, by definition, those who have met the relevant methodological test, then method still remains the clear dividing factor.

[Zacs-Master]

You’re being disingenuous now, Jim.

[jim360]

I'm really not.

[Zacs-Master]

You can’t seriously think that the Ed team had all that in mind when they set the new ‘rules’.

[steg]

//bit since scientific laws are, by definition, those who have met the relevant methodological test, then method still remains the clear dividing factor.//

Totally agree [although I’d have probably spelled ‘bit’ wrong ;) ]

[Peter Pedant]

when the facts change I change my mind
what do you do

J N Keynes

try reading Kuhn the structure of scientific revolutions

"Normal scientific progress was viewed as "development-by-accumulation" of accepted facts and theories. Kuhn argued for an episodic model in which periods of such conceptual continuity in normal science were interrupted by periods of revolutionary science."

I am not sure if the new planet thingey is going to lead to a scientific revolution
in fact I cant think of one in the 2000's (an oops back to the drawing board moment)

[Peter Pedant]

// remove answers that are misleading, e.g. by implying that a statement is a scientific theory or law when it is not’//

I thought it was rooted in anti-vaxxer tosh
where practically speaking the tosh has led to 150 avoidable deaths on Samoa.....[all under ten]

and nowadays it is 'drink bleach and cure yourself of c-virus tosh'