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From: johnston@spp1.UUCP (Micheal L. Johnston)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: Re: how much science?
Message-ID: <182@spp1.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 9-Apr-85 16:28:43 EST
Article-I.D.: spp1.182
Posted: Tue Apr  9 16:28:43 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 14-Apr-85 02:03:03 EST
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> []
> I wonder if Lief would let us know how much of what is accepted
> in modern science his beliefs cause him to reject.  He has hinted
> that he rejects the ordering accepted by the biological sciences,
> but that he can accept the space/time concepts of the Cosmologists.
> Is this true?  How about radioactive dating?  How about Geology
> and the ordering of strata, or the notions of Plate Tectonics?
> 
> It's very courteous of him to admit that the overwhelming majority
> of scientists have a bit of evidence to back up their beliefs.
> I just wonder how much of science will have to be tossed out
> if he were correct.

If he were correct, then any part of currently accepted science that has
to be tossed out should go with good riddance because its wrong. Science
cannot afford to close its books and say that all that is accepted at any
point in time is beyond refutation.
 
Radioactive dating and geological strata have in fact come under attack in
recent years by scientists that aren't just spouting off. If our basic
premises upon which these methods and beliefs are legitimately disproved,
what would be the good of clinging to a lie?

Science should welcome all theories and not try to impose a criteria for
what a "scientific" theory should be lest that basic premise be wrong and
the truth be lost.

Anyone holding CONFIDENTLY to an origins theory sould not be upset by the
"ravings" of those from opposing viewpoints since along with that
confidence should be the belief that, given enough time, the wrong theory
will prove itself to be so.

		Mike Johnston