Discussion: The Scientific Method is useless

Discussion in 'Formal debates' started by James R, Mar 18, 2011.

  1. James R Just this guy, you know? Staff Member

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    This thread is for discussion about the debate of the same title.

    Proposal thread is here: [thread]106882[/thread]
    Debate thread is here: [thread]106965[/thread]
    Discussion thread is here: [thread]106991[/thread]
     
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  3. BenTheMan Dr. of Physics, Prof. of Love Valued Senior Member

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    Err, false dichotomy?

    This one ought to be easy for ol Geoff...
     
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  5. keith1 Guest

    Science investigation continues after scientists die. Therefore the afterlife condition is not a major interest of Science, and makes it's mention in a debate about the uselessness of Science a bit dubious in its assertion/insertion.

    The only human endeavor, regiment, or discipline making head-roads into discovery of any natural, or physical realities, or unknowns--is Science.

    This would imply that the debate here is a bit premature, as it needs to be preceded by the discussion of, "Can a god be discovered without Science?", which should instead, give Science the most important aspect of uses, to those looking for a god.
     
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  7. leopold Valued Senior Member

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    how can anyone say the scientific method is useless?
    after reading the above posts i get the impression that someone is PO'ed because they can't "discover god".
    this should lead you to one inescapable conclusion.
     
  8. arfa brane call me arf Valued Senior Member

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    O ye of little faith.
    Science is the new god, all hail the god of science!

    Actually, science is only peripheral to the true nature of god, since the true nature is not an idea or intellectual discourse.
    Therefore the existence or nonexistence of god (with a capital g) is unprovable by any argument since all arguments are ideas. Therefore choosing an atheistic or theistic standpoint (as if you "need" to) is altogether irrelevant.

    It's just one of those things which is true (or false) for no reason.
     
  9. Michael 歌舞伎 Valued Senior Member

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    I'm wondering if the person who posted the thread title would care to describe what they mean by the Scientific Method?

    I'd say there's at least three main ways of learning about reality, inductive, deductive and discovery.
     
  10. scifes In withdrawal. Valued Senior Member

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    a)
    i can't see how you're saying a life in a godless universe isn't pointless.
    can't you grasp the simple notion that although the pyramids are still standing for us now, they are nonexistent for their builders because they are dead?

    if you raise the best kid in the world, he will cease to exist when you die, along with your whole world.
    everything realized by science, will cease to exist upon death, and so, for the dead person, it is pointless.
    can't you grasp that?
     
  11. GeoffP Caput gerat lupinum Valued Senior Member

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    Thankfully, no. It's rare we still throw children onto funeral pyres any more.

    - Now listen, you. The formal debate has done. I'm not abusing you on my spare time.

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    Can't fool me!
     
  12. Dywyddyr Penguinaciously duckalicious. Valued Senior Member

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    So your stance basically is: what's in in for me?
    And if the answer is "nothing particularly, but think of your family and everyone else and generations from now" then you aren't interested?

    Sheesh.
    I'm glad I'm a self-absorbed self-serving atheist.

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  13. GeoffP Caput gerat lupinum Valued Senior Member

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    Stop your rationalism, you dirty Trotskyite.
     
  14. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    Humanity lives on, doesn't it?
     
  15. Hercules Rockefeller Beatings will continue until morale improves. Moderator

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    The debate has ended and the debate thread has been closed.


    As per the rules of the debate (specifically rule #3 and the absence of an agreement to continue), scifes forfeits and GeoffP wins.

    Just as well, it was already a slam dunk for GP.

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  16. Dywyddyr Penguinaciously duckalicious. Valued Senior Member

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    Damn! And here I was, rooting for the underdog.
    Just goes to show.

    Fix!
    I demand a recount!
    Oh, is it time for my tablets already? Okay.
     
  17. James R Just this guy, you know? Staff Member

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    How stupid to challenge somebody else to a debate and then to forfeit after only two posts.

    I don't think there are many debates in this forum that are of lower quality than this one. (No offence to GeoffP, who made the most of what he was handed.)
     
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  18. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    That's at least two losses for scifes.
     
  19. GeoffP Caput gerat lupinum Valued Senior Member

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    I think we've all grown from this experience.

    No, wait: what's the one where you feel all dejected and forlorn? That's the one.

    Thanks for coming, all.

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  20. Hercules Rockefeller Beatings will continue until morale improves. Moderator

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    There should be a penalty for losing a formal debate, otherwise there’s no disincentive to waste everyone’s time. If, say, a 7-day ban was the penalty for losing (with multiples of that for multiple losses), then this would probably weed out the specious debate challenges.

    I don’t see it happening, however.

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  21. James R Just this guy, you know? Staff Member

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    It's not actually about winning and losing.
     
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  22. GeoffP Caput gerat lupinum Valued Senior Member

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    Two members enter! One member leaves!

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    Trolling were damn near the death of us all
     
  23. Crunchy Cat F-in' *meow* baby!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Reading this read was a revelation. I had no idea that excessive doses of stupid could actually burn.
     

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