"Bert Robbins" wrote in message
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Bryan wrote:
"Bert Robbins" wrote in message
. ..
Here we go again. It's only been a couple of hours and the the
"scientists" are changing their minds. Will they ever get it right?

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/06/22/D8IDK16G0.html

They do have it right, Bert. Give the most logical explanation that best
fits the available evidence. When new evidence arises, adjust the
explanation to fit the evidence. Is there something wrong with this
objective approach to understanding our world?

Science is nothing more than observation and consensus. You observe
something and then you look for consensus of your observation by your
"peers." This consensus can be biased by political and economic
considerations.

Does the phrase "it is accepted in the scientific community" cause you to
sit up and say what do you mean "accepted?" It does with me because it
means that it is not all objective.


No. The scientific method involves observation, hypothesis, testing and
measurement. The data is analyzed; a new observation stage. A new
hypothesis based on the previously unknown or incomplete data. More testing
and measurement. And so on.

The consensus you speak of comes from submitting the experiment and the data
to the scientific community via peer reviewed journals. Your peers are then
expected to challenge your data and conclusions through repeating the
experiment to verify the veracity of your data and looking for flaws in the
structure or design of your experiment, data, and conclusions.

It is through the peer review of your work by reputable scientists and
repetition of your experiments that consensus is formed. Concensus is based
on data that is subject to challenge by your peers. Accepted means the data
has been determined to be valid and sound by the reputable scientific
community after withstanding scrutiny by your peers. Peers is the group of
scientists who practice the scientific method as the means to understanding
our physical world. Peers does not refer to some knucklehead who took 10th
grade biology nor to an idividual who has an emotionally driven agenda.

And, again, science uses existing data derived from observation,
experimental design, testing and measurement, subject to peer review, to
explain our world and new data to improve the explanation.