The World, Known and Unknown

The problem with the scientific method, as currently understood, is not in relation with anything that falls within its scope; the problem is with everything that does not fall within its scope.

Careful scientists avoid claiming too much; they understand the limits of their tools. About matters that cannot be proved or disproved, they know nothing and admit as much.

A less cautious mind is liable to fall victim to some common fallacies. One often hears someone pronouncing a verdict based on insufficient knowledge: “It has not been proved X exists; therefore it does not exist.” First, the lack of proof of the existence of a thing is not a proof of its non-existence. Second, the lack of proof may relate strictly to an individual or group that is not up to date on the latest revelations. Proof, in the last analysis, refers primarily to the subjectivity of the one who needs to be convinced, and not to the fact, be it admitted or not admitted, known or not known.

I may have to identify myself to the security guard at a checkpoint; but I know who I am prior to this. My identity does not spring into being by virtue of this social validation.

Scientists actually have no idea how much of the universe lies outside the scope of their method. Could it be 99.99%? If it were, would it make a difference?

We tend to believe we already know the world pretty much. We expect new discoveries to add some interesting details, but we do not expect the world to be turned upside down. In other words, we tend to see the world as a finished story, as something known.

The reason for this is that it is easier to deal with a world that one imagines one knows than to deal with a world one doesn’t know at all. It is convenient, for practical reasons, to make the assumption that we know the world 95% rather than 5%.

This “convenience” has nothing to do with the truth.

If one becomes interested in the truth, one may adjust the controls to open one’s mind and allow the unknown a larger place in one’s world view. Some cannot help doing this.

We might say they have been called.