Science Forums 2

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I think the difference is largely between personal truth and scientific truth.

There are many philosophies and ideas that can deliver personal truth to someone. I’m a fan of this. I’m a fan of eastern philosophy in particular. But, the personal truth that comes from a Zen story or a Confucius saying is not a scientific truth.

It’s amazing how many people confuse the two. They find a personal truth and bring it to science. They expect some kind of validation or scientific recognition. But, this is doomed to failure. The usefulness of science is to predict the outcome of experiments involving nature which is fundamentally different from a personal truth or insight. When people are rejected they claim science is close minded. I’m not sure “close minded” is the right phrase, but I do think it is appropriate whatever we call it.

Just because something has personal value doesn’t mean it should have scientific value.