Is Our Children Learning Part III: The universe began with a huge explosion.
 

Please answer the following question without looking it up.

The universe began with a large explosion, like that of millions of nuclear bombs. True or false?

False, in my beliefs. We are all entitled to our own opinions right? ;)

We're not all entitled to our own facts, however. Whether or not your opinion is correct in this case I'm not posting.

I will go with True, by reason of ruling out all the other bullshit answers. No scientific explanation as to why I believe this, though.

False. Many more than millions of nuclear bombs. But I put true on there anyways :x.

Millions is an understatement :p

True as well.

Voted true.

Still, why do these seem like trick questions to me?

I know what you mean, Vaulty. Well, the other two were straightforward, but this one felt like a trick question to me. Maybe we're just finding it hard to believe that the answer most of us know, that seems so simple to us, is the answer he actually wants.

So basically you're saying the Big Bang Theory is a fact? I'm sorry MJ, but you're wrong there, it's still a theory. I don't think we'll ever actually know how our universe was created.

Also, I voted true, but I know it's almost unfeasable to have an explosion without the universe being started by an outside force, atleast that's my belief. It's a mixture of religion and science.

Oh. My. God.

That has to be the biggest pet peeve of mine. Learn what scientists mean by theory.

Yes, the big bang is a theory. In the same way we have the germ theory of disease. Or the theory of gravity. Or atomic theory. Or the theory of limits (which calculus is based on).

Jesus Christ, I can't understand why people have this intransigent claim that we'll never understand the way the universe started. They know absolutely nothing about modern physics, yet they keep banging their heads on the big bang theory. But just because thousands of lay people keep banging their heads on it ddoesn't mean the theory's going to break. It's solid. Y'all are just going to come back bruised and tattered.

I'm not saying I don't believe it MJ, i'm just saying it's a theory. Yes, this theory is probably the most correct interpretation on how the universe started, but still it's not a proven fact.

It's based off of facts. Theories are a coherent group of propositions that explain the facts. Nothing more, nothing less. There is no implication of certainty or uncertainty in that definition. The theories that don't eventually falter to the facts, and in fact make predictions that are testable, are the ones that last.

But it is simply a fallacy to say that direct observation is the only way to know something. For instance, if a woman was pregnant 200 years ago, you could say that she had sex. In terms that we are speaking, that would be the Sex Theory for pregnancy. You may not have actually seen the copulation, but it doesn't mean that the facts don't support your assertion. And just because our explanation is called a theory, doesn't change the fact that she had sex.

Similarly, we can not go back and see the big bang. However, the facts support the assertion.

I know what you're saying. But even the Theory is flawed, they still can't explain how the universe came about or formed. And now, we apparently have alternate/parallel universes. It's a concept that just makes it easy for us to comprehend, and it is close to fact, but it will never be fact. The theory like you said is the closest representation to what is fact.. I'm just saying it will probably be hundreds of years before the theory is classified as fact or it gets caved in on itself. Right now it's just a theory of what would make sense.

The theory will never be classified as facts. There isn't some continuum from guess to hypothesis to theory to fact. Theories, though related, are compltely distinct entities from facts. Theories never become facts, no matter how much evidence they have in their favor.

And oh my fucking god, the theory is flawed because it doesn't explain the origin of something? Where have I heard this before? Oh yea, evolution is flawed because it doesn't explain the origin of life!!!!!!! Riiight.

The theory is now that there's infinite alternate universes. New universes are born from collisions between universes. Because of the sheer number of universes there could be billions of universes like ours but with very subtle differences. Or we could be somewhat unique ...although the odds are against it :P.

You don't have to have sex to get pregnant. It's certainly the most likely way, but just because someone is pregnant doesn't mean they had sex.

Fine, bad example. I'm sure you can think of a better one that demonstrates my point.

I'll try and point out my actual point later when I get a chance, it's hard to elaborate while i'm at work.

No, I think it perfectly demonstrates your point.