It has sometimes been used by un-informed theists that Scientific laws are "unstable", constantly being challenged and/or changed as Science progresses.
Let me use an example to correct this misconception.
Yes, new findings may dispute previous established Scientific theory. However, a complete overturn of any established theory is very rare. It was great news when Einstein disproved Newton's established laws of motion. Do we still use Newton's laws of motion? Absolutely yes. The main discovery by Einstein is that when objects are moving near the speed of light, its observed mass will increase. Hence additional energy given to the object will not have that manifested effect on its velocity if its mass were not changed.
In our everyday life, we seldom encounter object moving at speed of light and yet we need to calculate its speed (or velocity). At human speed, Einstein's revised laws of motion is ALMOST the same as Newton's laws. For any practical purposes, we can regard the result derived from Newton's law accurate enough.
While I have very limited knowledge in Biology and evolution in particular, I am quite certain that when a biologist claims to have discovered some new theory related to evolution, s/he will be most likely filling in one or more of the missing pieces of the evolution theory. I cannot foresee a discovery which will completely overturn the theory of evolution in any near future.
Showing newest posts with label Science Common Sense Stupidity ScSS. Show older posts
Showing newest posts with label Science Common Sense Stupidity ScSS. Show older posts
06 July 2009
23 February 2009
[ScSS] Firewalking
Common Sense: we cannot walk bare-footed on hot coal.
Fact: We can, if we know how.
Scientific Explanation: Heat transmits via three methods: conduction, convention and radiation. In fire walking, the heat damage to foot, if any, will be caused by conduction. However, coal is very small thermal conductivity, the heat transfers from coal to the sole of the fire walker is small.
Stupidity: It would be stupid to link fire walking to any supernatural power.
Fact: We can, if we know how.
Scientific Explanation: Heat transmits via three methods: conduction, convention and radiation. In fire walking, the heat damage to foot, if any, will be caused by conduction. However, coal is very small thermal conductivity, the heat transfers from coal to the sole of the fire walker is small.
Stupidity: It would be stupid to link fire walking to any supernatural power.
14 January 2009
[ScSS] Water extinguishes fire
Common Sense: Water does not burn. We can use water to extinguish fire.
Science behind: Most fire is a chemical reaction known as combustion where fuel reacts with oxygen to generate heat. Without sufficient heat, a fire cannot begin. The fuel must reach the ignition point to begin a fire. Without fuel, the fire will stop naturally. Without oxygen, the fire will stop as well. To sustain a fire, all the three components [heat, fuel and oxygen] must be together in a way that the chemical reaction will sustain. Hence it is also known as fire tetrahedron. [image from Wikipedia]
Water can generally be used to stop a fire with solid fuel by cooling the fire so that the fuel does not reach ignition point. Other method of fire fighting includes removing oxygen, e.g. foam to block the fuel from air; or explosion for oil well fire.
Exception: If you have a fire on a pan with oil (ie burning oil) do NOT use water. When water is poured on the boiling and burning oil, water will evaporate, expanding rapidity. This will cause the burning oil to splash increasing the contact area of oil with oxygen. The fire will intensify.
Stupidity: See my previous comment on this.
Science behind: Most fire is a chemical reaction known as combustion where fuel reacts with oxygen to generate heat. Without sufficient heat, a fire cannot begin. The fuel must reach the ignition point to begin a fire. Without fuel, the fire will stop naturally. Without oxygen, the fire will stop as well. To sustain a fire, all the three components [heat, fuel and oxygen] must be together in a way that the chemical reaction will sustain. Hence it is also known as fire tetrahedron. [image from Wikipedia]Water can generally be used to stop a fire with solid fuel by cooling the fire so that the fuel does not reach ignition point. Other method of fire fighting includes removing oxygen, e.g. foam to block the fuel from air; or explosion for oil well fire.
Exception: If you have a fire on a pan with oil (ie burning oil) do NOT use water. When water is poured on the boiling and burning oil, water will evaporate, expanding rapidity. This will cause the burning oil to splash increasing the contact area of oil with oxygen. The fire will intensify.
Stupidity: See my previous comment on this.
13 January 2009
[ScSS] Iron sinks
Common Sense: Wood floats - you can make boat with wood. Iron sinks - you cannot make boat using iron.
Observation: Everyone today knows that ocean going streamers/container ships are made of steel.
Science behind: Archimedes principle of flotation by Archimedes of Syracuse (287–212 B.C.), Greek mathematician and inventor. The upward force (flotation force) is equal to the volume of liquid displaced. By making a ship with steel hulk with large volume, the ship can make to float.
Stupidity: In the thirteenth century, Christian monks had ripped apart Archimedes’ original manuscript, washed it, and covered it with religious text.
Observation: Everyone today knows that ocean going streamers/container ships are made of steel.
Science behind: Archimedes principle of flotation by Archimedes of Syracuse (287–212 B.C.), Greek mathematician and inventor. The upward force (flotation force) is equal to the volume of liquid displaced. By making a ship with steel hulk with large volume, the ship can make to float.
Stupidity: In the thirteenth century, Christian monks had ripped apart Archimedes’ original manuscript, washed it, and covered it with religious text.
[ScSS] Science, common Sense, Stupidity - Introduction
I am going to start a series on the fallacy of common sense.
Yes, our experience provides the most important anchorage to our ability to remember, reason and make judgment. However, the purpose of education is to enable us to see beyond everyday interactions, find out the real underlying principles and act accordingly. Most common sense (or intuition) works under certain conditions and situations. It is equally important to know where common sense will start to lead us to the wrong conclusion.
In this series, I shall attempt to describe some 'common sense' observation and present evidences that show that such common sense does not work under certain condition.
The inclusion of "stupidity" in the title of this series points squarely at a group of people who think who know everything and refuse to see reasoning from a logical and pragmatic angle. If you are one of those, you may excuse yourself from reading this series. It may offend.
Yes, our experience provides the most important anchorage to our ability to remember, reason and make judgment. However, the purpose of education is to enable us to see beyond everyday interactions, find out the real underlying principles and act accordingly. Most common sense (or intuition) works under certain conditions and situations. It is equally important to know where common sense will start to lead us to the wrong conclusion.
In this series, I shall attempt to describe some 'common sense' observation and present evidences that show that such common sense does not work under certain condition.
The inclusion of "stupidity" in the title of this series points squarely at a group of people who think who know everything and refuse to see reasoning from a logical and pragmatic angle. If you are one of those, you may excuse yourself from reading this series. It may offend.
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