is religion real ?

[Napalmbrain]

I'm not taking a stab at anyone here but scientifically you can never rule out anything because nothing can ever be proven or disproven.

However, you should know that a theory can only be considered scientific if it is "falsifiable"- that is, there should be a way to test whether it is true or not (note: this is why intelligent design isn't considered a valid theory by most scientists).

The only thing you can prove by that is that things usually fall toward the Earth.

It does not prove the existence of gravity. I could just say that God feels like making it go to the center and tomorrow could make it go toward the sky.

We already know gravity exists. We know it exists because a ball falls back down to the ground when you throw it, and because the Moon stays in orbit of the Earth. As explained in general relativity, it's caused by the mass of an object affecting the space-time around it.

 

[Twilight Hero]

Or he was on acid.

No, it's true! What's acid? o_o

 

[Squall7]

However, you should know that a theory can only be considered scientific if it is "falsifiable"- that is, there should be a way to test whether it is true or not (note: this is why intelligent design isn't considered a valid theory by most scientists).


We already know gravity exists. We know it exists because a ball falls back down to the ground when you throw it, and because the Moon stays in orbit of the Earth. As explained in general relativity, it's caused by the mass of an object affecting the space-time around it.

Just out of interest, do you specialise in physics?

It seems to me that you answer more physics questions than biology or chemistry ones.

P.S. Is this

from Johnny Mnemonic? I actually liked the film, although I don't think there's a lot of love for it out on the internet.

No, it's true! What's acid? o_o

Hahaha.

Wait, you serious? :wtf:

Acid is LSD. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSD
So hypnotic...

 

[Napalmbrain]

Just out of interest, do you specialise in physics?

It seems to me that you answer more physics questions than biology or chemistry ones.

I do indeed specialise in physics, in particular astrophysics. I have a master's degree in it.

 

[Squall7]

I do indeed specialise in physics, in particular astrophysics. I have a master's degree in it.

Awesome. Do you have a job relevant to the field?

Also, what do you think about Michio Kaku? (I realise he specialises in theoretical physics, but I thought you may still have an opinion).
[video=youtube;-rg3uNrI8tE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rg3uNrI8tE[/video]

 

[Twilight Hero]

Nah, he wasn't on acid. =)
Good thing God let him live. I wouldn't be here if he had died!

 

[Napalmbrain]

Awesome. Do you have a job relevant to the field?

Afraid not. I'm considering going into teaching later this year though.

Also, what do you think about Michio Kaku? (I realise he specialises in theoretical physics, but I thought you may still have an opinion).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rg3uNrI8tE

It's nice to have someone promoting physics, but I don't know much about his actual theoretical work since I haven't read any of his papers (string theory is a bit beyond me).

 

[Squall7]

Afraid not. I'm considering going into teaching later this year though.

I hope you get a good job. Too many people go through the education system and become amazingly knowledgable, yet there are very few jobs for them.

It's nice to have someone promoting physics, but I don't know much about his actual theoretical work since I haven't read any of his papers (string theory is a bit beyond me).

Fair enough. I've been researching stuff like this and it's interesting. Kind of understand tha basic concepts, but more than that, I think I'd be mostly confused.

 

[rukus]

I hope you get a good job. Too many people go through the education system and become amazingly knowledgable, .

(and to continue the sentence) yet stll are lousy teachers.

before you become a teacher, become a tutor somewhere. just b/c you know something very well, doesnt mean you are good at teaching it to others. i had some brilliant teachers over the years, yet could not for the life of them explain a concept to someone who wasn't understanding it the conventional way. in my experiences, the people who fought to understand a concept become better teachers. now thats not to say a smart person cant teach, but it is to say that just b/c you are smart, it doesn't mean you are a good teacher.

 

[RPGMasterTurk91]

(and to continue the sentence) yet stll are lousy teachers.

before you become a teacher, become a tutor somewhere. just b/c you know something very well, doesnt mean you are good at teaching it to others. i had some brilliant teachers over the years, yet could not for the life of them explain a concept to someone who wasn't understanding it the conventional way. in my experiences, the people who fought to understand a concept become better teachers. now thats not to say a smart person cant teach, but it is to say that just b/c you are smart, it doesn't mean you are a good teacher.

Hmm...well put.

 

[Napalmbrain]

(and to continue the sentence) yet stll are lousy teachers.

before you become a teacher, become a tutor somewhere. just b/c you know something very well, doesnt mean you are good at teaching it to others. i had some brilliant teachers over the years, yet could not for the life of them explain a concept to someone who wasn't understanding it the conventional way. in my experiences, the people who fought to understand a concept become better teachers. now thats not to say a smart person cant teach, but it is to say that just b/c you are smart, it doesn't mean you are a good teacher.

Yeah, I know what you mean. There's a few concepts in physics which I understand easily, but would find it a bit hard to explain to a layman. Fortunately most of the high school-level physics isn't that difficult though. Assuming I do decide to become a teacher, I'd apply for a one year teacher training course starting in September, which should help with teaching technique.

@Squall7: Yes, the avy is from Johnny Mnemonic. I never really cared for the film, I just like the picture.

 

[navarre]

You know, there's that one joke:

Me and my brother know EVERYTHING in the world, ask me anything and we'll know the answer.

[question here]

That one my brother knows! haha

Religion is kind of like that. It's like saying, hey, I don't know the answer, but I totally know someone who DOES. You know, kind of like how people say "I know this guy who knows a guy who knows a guy that knows Brittney Spears.." You can't disprove that because you couldn't possibly go through all their friends, then their friends friends, and so on, it's just unrealistic to do, so you have to 'accept' it. Religion is no different.

Ironically, the very same principal applies for science.

 

[Boethiah]

Ironically, the very same principal applies for science.

I disagree. The key difference with Science and religion is Science has evidence to substantiate their claims. Science and Religion both claim to have answers, and both people who lean towards religion and people who lean towards science may not know all of the answers themselves. Someone who leans more towards science has the means to go out and learn about the facts that have been uncovered. Religious people have to go to an old book to find out, or a priest who will base his claims on the old book.

 

[The Fifth]

Interesting Thread:

I think the problem is that The big picture is more than what we are capable of truly comprehending. The Planet is really big to us...... The Solar system is to large for us to travel to the edge.....our solar system is a speck within the milky way galaxy Which is only one of potentially millions of Galaxies. It and the Meaning of why we or any of what exists or what we think may is enough to give anyone a headache. I choose not to participate in Religion as it personally has no bearing on my day to day life or what ever it is we do. I often ponder conscience though and wonder how that works. :yikes: :crazy:

 

[Sovieto]

Ironically, the very same principal applies for science.

Science is more or less saying: Hey, I don't know the answer, but I'm trying to figure it out.