LuckyR wrote: ↑Sat Sep 23, 2023 8:22 am
Veritas Aequitas wrote: ↑Sat Sep 23, 2023 2:02 am
LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Sep 22, 2023 7:23 pm
Well, "scientific facts" is just too inaccurate of a label to make much sense, in this context.
If you mean scientific data ie the raw data from experimentation and/or observation, it does tend towards the objective, though since it commonly runs through post hoc human interaction and always are subject to human influence due to human study design, they are definitely subject to bias, typically unintentional though occasionally intentional.
Now, if you mean the interpretation of raw scientific data, that is wholly of human origin. Hence why "scientific understanding" changes over time. Thus is subjective by it's nature. Now are there subjective "understandings" that are so elementary that they are "generally accepted as fact (or true)"? Yes, those are ubiquitous, though as high quality as our understanding is, it can always improve. If we were having this conversation in 1850, when what we currently call Classical mechanics, was "generally accepted as fact (or true)", no one would know that up ahead in time Quantum mechanics was going to change this "understanding".
By Scientific facts, truths of knowledge I mean the
scientific conclusions that are inferred from the "scientific data i.e. the raw data from experimentation and/or observation" as conditioned to the scientific method, i.e. the scientific-FSK.
E.g. 'water is H20' conditioned upon the science-chemistry FSK.
Surely, you are not denying these scientific facts are objective?
Scientific facts are objective [in the modern sense] because they are independent of "a" subject's [or loose group of people] opinion belief or judgment.
There is no denying that scientific facts are objective; but this objectivity is grounded on the collective consensus of subjects within a credible framework and system, i.e. a credible institution.
This is why in one sense, objectivity is intersubjectivity.
Scientific facts can be improved indefinitely and we [..fallible humans] cannot insist there is a final conclusion where there is no more improvement is possible.
As such,
we have to live in suspension of continuous improvement without finitude.
This is the same sense of "objectivity" I apply to 'morality is objective'.
The other sense of 'objective' from philosophical realism [mind-independent reality] of insisting on a final ultimate conclusion is grounded on an illusion.
As Hume had implied, this drive for finitude is very psychological.
Ha ha, really? "water is H2O"? That's not science any more than the alphabet is literature. If you want science how about the valence bond theory (as opposed to the molecular orbital theory)? Both theories were dreamed up by humans based on their interpretation of data plus a bit of their imagination. Thus not entirely free of opinion, belief or judgement.
I think your have a problem?
You insist there is a permanent fixed true objective reality that science is striving to discover? Yes? No?
I stated,
'water is H20'
conditioned upon the (human-based) science-chemistry FSK.
what is wrong with that?
All scientists involved in this [.. I know of none] will not deny the above and accept it with its implied limitations within the science-chemistry FSK.
Within either the valence bond theory (as opposed to the molecular orbital theory), water is still H20, but we need to qualify which theory we are relying upon.
The point is the human-based science-chemistry has many other conditions within different sub-FSK.
In another more detailed science-chemistry FSK taking into account isomers,
"water is not H20"
I have raised this before;
'water is H20' conditioned upon the science-chemistry FSK.
Water is Not H20
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=39844
You can't pull a fast one on me regarding this, I have taken a certified BioChemistry Course from HarvardX not too long ago.
You familiar with Model-dependent Realism??
Model-dependent Realism is a view of scientific inquiry that focuses on the role of scientific models of phenomena.[1] It claims reality should be interpreted based upon these models, and where several models overlap in describing a particular subject, multiple, equally valid, realities exist.
It claims that
it is meaningless to talk about the "true reality" of a model as we can never be absolutely certain of anything. The only meaningful thing is the usefulness of the model.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model-dependent_realism
What is critical is all the terms, conditions, limitations, assumptions, etc. must be clearly defined, of which the conclusion must be qualified upon.