Aliens

Why do you think we've made mistakes in developing our physics? Do you think the more exotic physics is mistaken, or even established physics? What does theory mean to you?

I never said I think it did happen. I think it's possible. Humans make mistakes. One little miscalculation and - what should the number 9000.1 is accidently the number 3
Big gap. One mistake.


Theory = something that's more likely than a hypothesis, but it has yet to be 100% proven as fact. From what I know. For example, the Big Bang Theory... is a Hypothesis. Not a Theory.(fact) LOL!

Theory = something that's more likely than a hypothesis, but it has yet to be 100% proven as fact. From what I know. For example, the Big Bang Theory... is a Hypothesis. Not a Theory.(fact) LOL!

Colloquially, you are correct. However, in the scientific context that is not what a theory is. When talking about a scientific theory, the word "theory" does not insinuate any particular degree of uncertainty. Rather, a scientific theory is a group of propositions used to explain facts observed in nature. Whether or not it is accurate is ascertained by putting the theory to the test.
For instance, the big bang theory is not some gratuitous guess. It is the best model we have to explain the origin and subsequent evolution of our universe. It makes predictions, which can be tested. The overwhelming consensus from experts in the field is that the big bang theory has withstood the tests.

Here are some other examples of theories: the theory of gravity, the theory of evolution, atomic theory, the germ theory of disease, and the theory of limits. Would you relegate these to somewhere between guess and fact? I hope not, as the theory of gravity (probably the most uncertain of the theories presented above) explains the fact of gravity, the theory of evolution explains the fact of evolution, the atomic theory explains many properties of matter, the germ theory of disease is vital in medicine, and the theory of limits is the basis of calculus.

I never said I think it did happen. I think it's possible. Humans make mistakes. One little miscalculation and - what should the number 9000.1 is accidently the number 3 Big gap. One mistake.

I think if one is intellectually honest, one has to admit to the possibility of mistakes. That said, the fact that our theories make predictions which match reality to a frightening degree implies that there is at least some level of truth to them. Would you agree with this?

I think if one is intellectually honest, one has to admit to the possibility of mistakes. That said, the fact that our theories make predictions which match reality to a frightening degree implies that there is at least some level of truth to them. Would you agree with this?

I would. The problem is, we stand around making theories to things we can't ever prove. Unless we find a way to make more existence (create our own Big Bang) then it will always just be a theory.
The point I'm going for is, Aliens might be able to travel WAY faster than we can comprehend at the moment, and thus, be here in a few seconds, and back on the other side of the Triverse (it got bigger since my last post) in a few more seconds.

The problem is, we stand around making theories to things we can't ever prove. Unless we find a way to make more existence (create our own Big Bang) then it will always just be a theory.

You're correct. It will always be a theory. It can not go any farther because it is already at the pinnacle -- in science, the status of an accepted theory is about as high as you can go.

Why do you think it is a problem to theorize about things that can't be "proven?" Do you think that because we can not directly observe something we can not ascertain, to a reasonable degree of certainty, its true nature?

Perhaps the aliens are too busy living Starcraft 2. Fear the zerg.

Why do you think it is a problem to theorize about things that can't be "proven?" Do you think that because we can not directly observe something we can not ascertain, to a reasonable degree of certainty, its true nature?

Yes. Unless we see it ourself, we're going to make some kind of mistake about it. Sorta like when the word "slave" sets off a Black guy... even though, he, and everyone he's ever met, was never a slave.

Yes. Unless we see it ourself, we're going to make some kind of mistake about it.

I think that this claim is not self-evident in general. It seems dependent on the situation, rather than a generality. Surely you can think of claims that you can not observe directly, but can be reasonably certain about.

Sorta like when the word "slave" sets off a Black guy... even though, he, and everyone he's ever met, was never a slave.

Do you not think that the repercussions of ones history is a legitimate cause for an emotional response; in some cases, anger? And isn't a grave social injustice, no matter when it happened in history, worth being angry about, especially if someone suggests that your entire race should once again be subjugated to it?

Do you not think that the repercussions of ones history is a legitimate cause for an emotional response; in some cases, anger? And isn't a grave social injustice, no matter when it happened in history, worth being angry about, especially if someone suggests that your entire race should once again be subjugated to it?

No. The chances of slavery ever happening again is low, considering racism is dying and we wouldn't even know where to start, anyway. In my opinion, if it's been over for 80 years or more... then it's over. Everyone, legally, has equal rights in america. If it's not enforced, things go to court. If it ends up that things don't go justly, then everyone is in an uproar about it.
We've become to advanced for us to make the same mistake twice. Other than voting for Bush twice. That was our last repeated mistake.