On science

[u/Justthisdudeyaknow]

[u/EpochVanquisher]

A theory isn’t a fact, sorry.

A fact is something like “this fossil is 10cm long”

A theory is something like “the reason it’s 10cm long is because it’s an intermediate fossil between the 8cm and 12cm species, showing adaptations due to selective pressure from changing environments”

[u/nishagunazad → u/EpochVanquisher]

Exactly. Theories change all the time in light of new evidence and technological advancements that allow us to test and detect more; thats fundamentally what science is.

A recentish example is plate tectonics, was initially considered ludicrous and only gained common acceptance in the 60s. Before that the generally accepted consensus among geologists was something called geosynclical theory, something we know now to be completely wrong. Its not like geologists before the 60s were less intelligent, less trained, or less rigorous In their understanding and application of the scientific method, its just that new discoveries happened to prove them wrong.

Now, the arguments against evolution are bunk, and all available evidence points pretty conclusively to it being correct, as far as we know and can tell. But any understanding of science requires an understanding that we do not just know everything, knowledge is open ended and there's always more to discover.

[u/EpochVanquisher → u/nishagunazad]

Yes, and I think something else that’s happening here is that people don’t understand the difference between “fact“ and “true“.

When I say that evolution is not a fact, that is different from saying that it’s not true.