History of Knowledge and Science

The Big Bang is a scientific model that describes the origin and evolution of the universe. It suggests that the universe began as a very hot, dense state and has been expanding ever since. It is the most widely accepted model by scientists because it aligns with observational evidence.

Scientific models, including the Big Bang, are not absolute truths. They are constantly refined and improved through new observations and data. If new evidence contradicts the current model, scientists would need to adjust or replace it with a better explanation.

While science can explain how the universe evolved, it cannot answer fundamental questions about why it exists in the first place. This question extends beyond the realm of science and into philosophy and theology.

The tension between scientific knowledge and religious beliefs, particularly how they influence societal progress and individual choices.

A belief system based on faith and spiritual insights, often involving supernatural entities and moral codes.

A systematic approach to understanding the natural world through empirical observation, experimentation, and logical reasoning.

The belief that the universe operates according to predictable laws and principles that can be discovered and explained through scientific inquiry.

A model proposing that the universe originated from a single point of immense density and heat, expanding over time.

Hypotheses or theories that lack experimental support, meaning they haven't been definitively proven through observation or testing.

The ability to understand and explain the workings of the universe purely through its inherent physical laws, without needing a supernatural or external cause.

The philosophical stance that knowledge and understanding can only be derived from observable, empirical evidence and logical reasoning.

A systematic approach to understanding the world around us, involving observation, hypothesis formation, experimentation, and formalization.

A possible explanation for a phenomenon, based on observations and prior knowledge.

A carefully designed procedure to test a hypothesis, involving controlled conditions and measurements.

The process of organizing observations and experimental results into a coherent framework of laws and theories.

The act of sharing scientific findings with the wider community through publications, presentations, and discussions.

The potential to discover new knowledge, test existing theories, and explore the unknown.

The pursuit of knowledge through observation, experimentation, and reasoning.

The idea that scientific conclusions are not absolute, but rather subject to refinement and change with new evidence.

A period of scientific development where research focuses on solving problems within a generally accepted theoretical framework.

A period of scientific upheaval where existing paradigms are challenged by anomalies and new theories emerge.

A widely accepted set of beliefs, theories, and methods that guide scientific research in a particular discipline.

A crisis in science where existing paradigms are unable to explain new observations, leading to the development of competing theories.

The period before a paradigm is established in a scientific discipline, characterized by the lack of a unifying theoretical framework.

The process of choosing, evaluating, and criticizing scientific information based on a shared set of methodological and theoretical beliefs.

The process of a new paradigm emerging after a paradigmatic crisis, when a new theory gains consensus among scientists.

The idea that a theory doesn't need to explain everything perfectly to be accepted as a paradigm, it just needs to be better than its competitors.

The scientific method, as formalized by Newton, utilizes empirical observations and mathematical reasoning to understand the natural world. It shifted the focus of knowledge from abstract ideas to demonstrable evidence.

A philosophical approach emphasizing reason and logic, primarily represented by René Descartes. Clear and distinct ideas, arrived at through logical reasoning, are considered the foundation of knowledge. Mathematical proofs exemplify this approach.

A philosophical stance that claims all legitimate knowledge originates from scientific methodologies.

A philosophical movement that arose from Empiricism, advocating for knowledge derived solely from observable phenomena. Auguste Comte proposed three stages of human knowledge development, with scientific knowledge being the highest stage.

Positivism's assertion that only scientific knowledge derived from empirical observation is valid. It rejects the validity of non-scientific knowledge, such as philosophical and religious experiences.

The inherent contradiction within Scientism. It claims that scientific methods are the only way to acquire true knowledge, while simultaneously using philosophical reasoning to justify this claim. It is self-contradictory because its own claim cannot be scientifically proven.

The reduction of the concept of 'experience' by Positivism. It discards philosophical and religious experiences as valid sources of knowledge, focusing solely on scientific observation and experimentation.

A belief is irrational if it conflicts with too many other well-established beliefs, without compelling reasons to doubt those beliefs.

The process of checking if a belief matches reality. This can be direct observation, scientific experimentation, or other forms of verification.

A way to evaluate truth based on whether a statement is derived from accepted truths or axioms (fundamental assumptions) in a logical system.

Determining truth by observing and comparing a belief with reality. This can be done directly or through scientific experiments.

A belief is considered true because it has been accepted as true by a community over a long period.

A belief is accepted as true because it comes from an authoritative source.

Scientific activity is considered inherently valuable to humanity.

The process of understanding knowledge where the interpretation of a text or idea involves moving back and forth between its parts and the whole, constantly refining understanding.