Belief in science?

[Razgovory]

Something that has bothered me for quite a while is that sometimes people say they "believe" in science.  It strikes me as the wrong word.  I might believe in a religion or a philosophy or in the good of my fellow man, but I don't "believe" in evolution.  I understand it, and accept it as true.  Of course there are scientific theories and evidence I don't understand but generally accept as true such as Hubble work on the expanding universe.  This might come closer to "belief", but it still doesn't feel right.  I like the word "accept".  And yes, yes, I'm fully aware that if didn't sit around thinking about such stupid things I'd probably be better off or at least saner.  What do you folks think (about the semantics not my sanity)?

[mongers]

Something that has bothered me for quite a while is that sometimes people say they "believe" in science.  It strikes me as the wrong word.  I might believe in a religion or a philosophy or in the good of my fellow man, but I don't "believe" in evolution.  I understand it, and accept it as true.  Of course there are scientific theories and evidence I don't understand but generally accept as true such as Hubble work on the expanding universe.  This might come closer to "belief", but it still doesn't feel right.  I like the word "accept".  And yes, yes, I'm fully aware that if didn't sit around thinking about such stupid things I'd probably be better off or at least saner.  What do you folks think (about the semantics not my sanity)?

Generally not worth thinking too much about that, tends to lead people down all sorts of rabbit holes.   

Why not just 'like' science, seems a fairly neutral term, but still denoting enthusiasm/interest in the scientific method?

[derspiess]

[Viking]

Do you have any examples of non-trivial uses of "believing in science"?

[Tonitrus]

I was once blinded by science.

[MadImmortalMan]

Do you have any examples of non-trivial uses of "believing in science"?

I doubt it, since it's pretty much an oxymoron. Science requires disbelief until proven afaik. Once proven, belief is no longer applicable.

So, Raz is more or less correct.

[CountDeMoney]

I was once blinded by science.

From my heart and from my hand, why don't people understand my intentions?

[Razgovory]

Do you have any examples of non-trivial uses of "believing in science"?

Some people who wish to equate science with religious belief.  If a man says "I believe in evolution" and another says "I believe in creationism".  The word "belief" appears to put them on equal footing, which is wrong.  I think this is more then just semantics though.  Accepting a scientific theory (or better yet understanding one), is a different thought pattern then believing in something.  Note: I'm not trying to denigrate "belief" here.  We all believe in things, for instance, we may believe in liberal democracy (though many of us here do not), but the superiority of liberal democracy isn't really a science fact.  At least not a hard one.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about science lately, what it is, and what it isn't if you guys can't tell.

[jimmy olsen]

Something that has bothered me for quite a while is that sometimes people say they "believe" in science.  It strikes me as the wrong word.  I might believe in a religion or a philosophy or in the good of my fellow man, but I don't "believe" in evolution.  I understand it, and accept it as true.  Of course there are scientific theories and evidence I don't understand but generally accept as true such as Hubble work on the expanding universe.  This might come closer to "belief", but it still doesn't feel right.  I like the word "accept".  And yes, yes, I'm fully aware that if didn't sit around thinking about such stupid things I'd probably be better off or at least saner.  What do you folks think (about the semantics not my sanity)?

A lot of people are clueless and don't really understand science, so it's not surprising.

[DontSayBanana]

Not to derail you, but this got me thinking about how this is the perfect counterpoint to the logical inconsistency that creationism should be taught in science class as an alternative "theory."

Both rely on a critical misunderstanding of the fundamental mechanical differences between a belief structure and the scientific method- the one you're talking about conflates understanding the results of experiments with understanding the scientific method in general.

If we were able to popularly detangle "belief" and "science," certain school boards would have to admit pushing creationism in science class was completely inappropriate and completely based on a semantic error- ironically, there's plenty of room for creationism as an alternate theory in history class, since the discipline is biased so heavily in favor of primary accounts (and I'm sure any religious jokester worth their salt wouldn't hesitate to make a jibe here about not getting much more primary than the Bible/Torah/Quran/etc).

[Martinus]

I think Raz is right in that for a lot of people, science (or at least some parts of it) are a matter of belief. They (we) just choose to accept (or not) things scientists tell us as true but - to paraphrase Arthur C. Clarke - any sufficiently advanced science is indinstiguishable from religion. Things like the Big Bang Theory, quantum theory etc. are something most people do not understand but accept as true (or plausible) in an act not unlike that of religious belief.

You could argue, of course that the sources of those beliefs - ostensibly, religious revelation vs. scientific research - are different, but for all practical purposes, it's the same: "what other people tell you".

[Eddie Teach]

Very good point, Marty.

[Viking]

Do you have any examples of non-trivial uses of "believing in science"?

Some people who wish to equate science with religious belief.  If a man says "I believe in evolution" and another says "I believe in creationism".  The word "belief" appears to put them on equal footing, which is wrong.  I think this is more then just semantics though.  Accepting a scientific theory (or better yet understanding one), is a different thought pattern then believing in something.  Note: I'm not trying to denigrate "belief" here.  We all believe in things, for instance, we may believe in liberal democracy (though many of us here do not), but the superiority of liberal democracy isn't really a science fact.  At least not a hard one.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about science lately, what it is, and what it isn't if you guys can't tell.

Who are these "some people" that I might wish to care what they think?

[Razgovory]

   I think Viking suspect this is all a clever trap to make him look the fool.

[Viking]

  I think Viking suspect this is all a clever trap to make him look the fool.

No, I doubt that those who use the phrase "believe in science" do so in the meta sense of "belief" rather than the dictionary definition of the word.