what value listening tests
Reply #51 – 2010-03-10 14:47:08
Besides, scientists used to think the Earth was flat, and that Earth, Water, Air and Fire were elements. They don't always get it right, you know. Asinine - why? What I said is true. Factual. Accurate. Everyone knows this. Scientists are not God. They make many mistakes. Todays great science is tomorrows embarassing nonsense. false. this is a VERY common misconception. but very wrong. I would even say asinine, except that so many people believe that scientists used to think the earth was flat, that it's easy to accept. This isn't a big deal, but everyone quotes it all the time to make a point, and as such is an invalid argument. the classic debate in Galileo's case was whether the sun revolved around the earth or vice versa. but scientists or "natural philosophers" as they were called then and earlier, have never put much stock in the earth's being flat. the pre-eminent medieval astronomy text was entitled "sphere." and understanding of earth as a sphere extends to classical Greek philosophers as well. Now I do agree that scientists have been wrong on many things. and theories get stuck in paradigms that resist change. etc., etc. these may become embarrassing later on. But much of natural science in the 20th Century hasn't been paradigm shifts and throwing out old paradigms, but rather incremental steps forward, adding nuance, etc. Total reversals and embarrassments don't happen very often.