For some people science is the supreme form of all knowledge. Is this view reasonable or does it involve a misunderstanding of science or knowledge?

Although there are many positive aspects of knowledge gained through science, there are also many limitations to such knowledge. Firstly, it has been known for scientific theories to be proved wrong for instance in the past scientists believed that the earth revolved around the moon. This also addresses the problem of how knowledge gained through science is dependant on time and technology. Many scientific theories have been proved wrong by new advances in technology. Secondly, there are more certain branches of knowledge than science, such as maths. Mathematics is often seen as a more certain branch of knowledge than science as the formulas and theories used in present day mathematics date back to Ancient Greece, such as Pythagoras Theorem. The fact that mathematics is not based upon observations of the natural world also gives it more certainty, as there are fewer margins for error. Other areas of knowledge such as spirituality can also be perceived as being a more supreme form of knowledge than science to many other people as religious knowledge has been used worldwide throughout history by millions of people.

 Many limitations of knowledge gained through science are due to the scientist. The scientific method is an organised approach to problem solving that includes collecting data, formulating a hypothesis and testing it objectively, interpreting results and stating conclusions that can be later evaluated by others. Collecting data is often done by observing, however it is not possible for humans to produce completely accurate observations, sometimes they are affected by bias and will inadvertently choose a positive part of an experiment, that suits their hypothesis rather than focus on any negative aspects, which could discount their hypothesis.  Additionally human morality is often challenged and scientists have been known to change the results of their experiments in order to suit their hypothesis. Furthermore, tenacity is a problem, as some scientists who have been working on a theory for a long time are unwilling to allow their theories to become rejected, even if there is substantial proof to discount the theory. All of these human errors mean that knowledge gained through science has its limitations just like all other branches of knowledge.

The belief that science is the supreme form of knowledge can also show a misunderstanding of knowledge as well as not comprehending the limitations of science. The belief that one branch of knowledge is, somehow, superior to another form of knowledge would suggest that branches of knowledge can be ordered on level of importance and therefore some types of knowledge are more important than others. This cannot be the case as different areas of knowledge are used to explain different aspects of life. For example, the method used to prove a scientific theory cannot be applied to ethics or the way in which a piece of literature is analysed in English is not the same as the way a key movement in History is analysed. Different branches of knowledge are used depending on what needs to be explained and therefore each branch of knowledge is needed just as much as another in explaining aspects of life. To believe science is the supreme form of knowledge, therefore, shows a misunderstanding of knowledge, as it cannot be used to explain other branches of knowledge such as ethics, aesthetics or spirituality.

Therefore, I believe that science is the supreme form of knowledge as it shows a misunderstanding of science and its limitations and a misunderstanding of knowledge. Although the advances in science throughout history have developed the quality of everyday life and led to breakthroughs such as evolution, anti-biotics and DNA there are so many limitations in science that it cannot be seen as superior compared to knowledge in maths, history or the arts. The fact that many of the theories developed have been either modified or replaced throughout history would suggest that present day theories are not entirely certain. For example, Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and natural selection has been modified several times since it was published. Other limitations of science include the effect of the scientist on the results due to economic reasons or tenacity. Just as the personal bias of a historian affects the knowledge they acquire the role of the scientist is important in the validity of the results and therefore the certainty of the knowledge in science. The belief that science is the supreme form of knowledge also shows a misunderstanding of knowledge in general as scientific knowledge cannot be used to explain ethics or spirituality and cannot therefore be stated as superior. To believe any branch or area of knowledge to be supreme is showing a misunderstanding of knowledge as all areas of knowledge are needed to explain every aspect of life.