How certain can we be in the natural sciences?

by essays14 (student)

International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge

Ashley Kabugo

How certain can we be in the Natural Sciences?

We use science everyday to explain certain things about the world that surrounds us. These experiments however depend on us as humans as we are the ones that must observe and gather the results from our own observations. The collection of results does depend on human perception and as humans we are bound to make mistakes, or interpret the results in an incorrect way. So if this is the case it is hard to say we can really trust the natural sciences.

To begin with, most of our scientific knowledge in the past was based on theory. People used to believe that earth was flat, or that the sun revolved around the earth. These theories were later proven wrong as the time went by. However, if they were not, people would still believe that they were true and we would be taught this knowledge. So how can we trust that some of things we learn to day, like the atomic model in physics is accurate? Someone may prove it wrong later. This is reason as to why we cannot be certain about what we learn.

Also, when we conduct an experiment, it is important to have an hypothesis beforehand. This is a prediction of what we believe the results of the experiment will prove. If we are the people carrying out the experiment, and we know what we expect the results to be, we can manipulate it so that the results we receive are the ones that we get. This is due to the fact that our minds are so set on a certain result that we will somehow find a way to see what isn’t really there.

To get results, we depend on ...

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Also, when we conduct an experiment, it is important to have an hypothesis beforehand. This is a prediction of what we believe the results of the experiment will prove. If we are the people carrying out the experiment, and we know what we expect the results to be, we can manipulate it so that the results we receive are the ones that we get. This is due to the fact that our minds are so set on a certain result that we will somehow find a way to see what isn’t really there.

To get results, we depend on our senses. Even if we do record the right things and the right results, we can’t be sure that what our senses tell us are accurate. You may need to use a variety of senses to determine something, but your senses also depend on our perception. For example if you were conducting an experiment whereby you had to time something, your reaction time is going to be slower. There is little chance that you will start the timer at the exact time that you need. The reaction time would affect the accuracy of the experiment, so how can we be certain of it?

While conducting such experiments we mostly depend on our sight. While our eyes are accurate for day to day things such as seeing where we are going, what we are doing and so on, we do not have microscopic vision. When we measure things with a ruler, we are not exactly correct, but according to what we see we are correct. This also affects the accuracy of the lab and therefore again raises the queston of how we can be sure of what is correct and what isn’t.

However, despite all the flaws to natural science, the development of the I.C.T sector has had a huge impact on the advancement of natural sciences we can send space probes into space that can take pictures of the earth. People have landed on the moon, and we have founds uncountable ways to create things such as electricity. While we may not be sure, there are some things that we can now definitely prove with the help of technology. The earth really is round, there are pictures that can prove it. So this is a reason why we trust the natural sciences.

Also, it is the only way we have that can really explain the way the earth is. Sciences have helped as discover so much as human beings, and with this discovery come the ability to adapt and grow in order to survive. Life has been greatly improved by science, even lengthened as scientist find cures for diseases. This is also evidence of how on more than one occasion theories were proven right.

In conclusion, while there are several things that may still be based on theory that we cannot prove entirely, sciences have helped us in so many ways and everything did start out as a theory, so it really shows how far we have come. I think we can trust natural sciences, not for everything, but most of the time.