What is science? Is science another superstition?

Ten Boundaries between Modern Science and New Superstition

Source: Ren Dingcheng (guest)

During the transitional period between the old and new systems, great changes have taken place in people's social relations. Some people are making money.

Admission, physical and mental health, family and marriage and other difficulties, a strong need for security, seeking spiritual comfort, and long-term

Looking forward to mastering the future and destiny. Due to the role of bounded rationality, it is entirely possible for people to look for problems when they encounter them.

Less than society has provided effective methods to solve these problems. Moreover, science always faces the unknown.

In this way, objectively, it leaves a space for superstition to produce and spread. New superstitions cling to people's needs,

According to the order of birth, aging, disease, death, life destination, social evolution and cosmic landscape, science is misused.

Terminology, fabricating unfounded beliefs, fabricating corresponding fallacies, supplemented by absurd spells, from muscles

A believer in physical control over the mind. Self-made new "gods" pretend that they can supplement, replace or even surpass them.

The more scientific. However, science is science and superstition is superstition, and no "god" can blur the two.

The boundary between. There are at least the following differences between modern science and new superstition.

1. The subject of science is knowledge system, and the subject of superstition is belief system. There are both science and superstition.

Some beliefs that cannot be directly tested by experience. This belief is manifested in superstition as unfounded belief, and in science

Learning is manifested as metaphysical presupposition in the paradigm. Superstitious beliefs can be said and must be said.

Moreover, the corresponding other propositions in the same superstitious system serve it; Metaphysical presupposition in science

It is unspeakable, needless to say in the knowledge system, it corresponds to serving the same scientific paradigm.

Metaphysical propositions can have different contradictory superstition systems for the same universe, among which belief

It is also contradictory; Once the scientific paradigm is established, other competitive metaphysical presuppositions will follow.

Lost the market. Deception spells and fallacies in superstition are tools to control believers with faith. science

The paper only demonstrates specific scientific conclusions, and metaphysical presupposition only exists between the lines. Modern scientific papers

Unable to prove faith. Metaphysical presupposition in science is an enlightening component of scientific knowledge and is superstitious.

Faith is a tool to control people.

2. Scientific theories are only self-consistent and compatible, and fallacies in superstitions are often self-contradictory and blindly exclusive.

Self-consistency means that there is no contradiction between propositions in a theory, and compatibility means propositions in a theory.

This theory is not contradictory to other related background theories. Once there is a paradox in science, science

Economists will push science forward in the process of solving paradoxes. Superstition makers often distort and steal.

In terms of science, religion and culture, it is to piece together irrelevant things in different fields at will to hide one's own interests.

There are many obvious logical contradictions. This difference between science and superstition is particularly obvious in the attitude towards background theory.

Obviously. Scientifically, if the existing theory meets challenges, it is necessary to carefully check the contradictory propositions; In superstition,

You can ignore any existing theoretical proposition and assert that the existing theory is invalid without foundation.

3. Scientific propositions are testable, while superstitious propositions try to avoid testing. Proposition in science

There are two kinds, one is a special proposition, which can be directly compared with experience; The other is a universal proposition, no.

It can be directly compared with experience, but a special proposition (test implication) can be deduced to be tested by experience. Superstition belief

Can't do this, they often use tautology, beating around the bush, ambiguity and other means to escape the classics.

Comparison of tests. For cancer, modern medicine has formed a set of strict examination methods and index system. one

Some makers of new superstitions lie that their so-called "kung fu" can cure cancer, provided that practitioners are not allowed to go.

The curative effect of hospital examination. They set similar conditions to cover up the inconsistency between their fallacies and existing theories.

Capacitors are also used to avoid inspection.

4. Scientific research results generally require repetition, but superstitious propositions do not have this nature. 50

In the 1980 s, Weber claimed to have detected the existence of gravitational waves, but this result cannot be repeated, so

So far it has not been recognized by the scientific community. Some of today's so-called "achievement methods" are the result of such a period of time.

It is difficult to repeat this result in the future.

5. Science emphasizes intersubjectivity, while superstition emphasizes individual experience. Scientific propositions can be understood as well as understood.

Word of mouth. Scientific conclusions can be drawn not only by its creator, but also by anyone with certain knowledge.

I can reach it. Observing the experimental results, not only the organizer, but also anyone can repeat it in principle. The branch of academic or vocational research.

Learning concepts, scientific laws and scientific theories can be demonstrated by everyone in principle. Superstition claims to be understandable, no

You can say it in words, pretending to be profound and mysterious. Everyone is equal before science, but superstition varies from person to person.

6. Scientific processes and means are open, while many superstitious processes and means are secret and inappropriate.

An important condition for scientific propositions to achieve testability, repeatability and intersubjectivity is the disclosure of processes and means.

There is no scientific achievement in the world that everyone does not understand. Scientific career is to explore and understand the mysteries of nature.

Change the unknown into the known; Superstition means changing knowledge into ignorance, and changing more knowledge into less knowledge. Superstition wants to make gods,

If you want to say that natural phenomena are controlled by supernatural forces, you have to deceive believers. Of course, the invented avatar is not.

It can be made public. Superstition talks about "manifestation" and turns non-mysterious phenomena into mysterious phenomena; Science criticizes, but does not understand.

This phenomenon is understandable.

7. Scientific knowledge can only be accepted by science after critical examination, and superstition depends on it.

The creed "Honesty leads to faith, and faith leads to spirit" has won the masses. Science pursues the consistency between theory and reality. Modern science

Original achievements must generally be published in serious academic journals in order to accept criticism from the same institution; The new superstition is that

Under the banner of science, we should also bypass the formal publishing channels and use banners, letters from patients, expert opinions and

Auxiliary means such as taking photos with leaders, and threats such as future disasters and "afterlife" retribution will strengthen believers.

"Honesty" makes people lose rational judgment. Engels took aim at the famous scientist crookes and others.

The phenomenon of "falling down" in the study of learning instruments points out that the most important instrument in science is "the head of doubt and criticism"

Brain. "

8. Science has a strict scope of application, while superstition does not. Any scientific proposition, law,

Theories are all about conditions; Superstitions pretend to be omnipotent and can call the wind and rain. Truth only needs to go beyond its application

One step within the scope will become a fallacy.

9. Science admits that he has made mistakes, and superstition never admits that he has made mistakes; The power of science lies in it.

A self-correcting mechanism, and the evil consequences caused by superstition can only be compensated and corrected by things other than superstition. The branch of academic or vocational research.

Learning knowledge is changeable, while superstition is relatively stable.

10. The significance of scientific achievements generally leads to post-evaluation by people other than the creator; Creators of superstitions usually

Exaggerate the magical "effect" first, and then publicize its specific content. Pretend to complete a "scientific revolution"

Life ",often in manufacturing and promoting superstition. Scientific theory wins by argument, and the more rigorous the argument, the more convincing it is.

Take; Superstition is mainly bluffing, and the bigger the cowhide is blown, the more bluffing it can be.

In a word, science is the product of reason, and superstition means giving up reason and believing in it. Many new superstitious believers.

Is to blur the line between science and superstition and be fooled.

Scientific superstition and superstitious science

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Superstition is often manifested as fanatical worship of forces that cannot be grasped and things that cannot be understood. What many people are unwilling to accept is that science is often the object of superstition.

In the education we received when we were young, science and superstition were sworn enemies. When science flourishes, superstitions will collapse. If the sun rises, the frost will naturally be invisible. Wherever the god of science goes, the ghost of superstition should slip away quietly, but we only see fortune tellers using computers, which is called scientific fortune telling. Compared with a few decades ago, the absolute value of China people's scientific literacy needs to be improved, but now the younger generation is superstitious about numbers, blood types and constellations, which the young people at that time were not ashamed to say. In this case, it is doubtful whether there is a trade-off between science and superstition.

What is superstition needs to be defined.

Some people equate religion with superstition, and not only religious scholars but even scientists disagree. Einstein said, "Science without religion is lame, and religion without science is blind." Although many superstitions are related to religion, religion and superstition are not necessarily the same thing. On the contrary, many religions oppose superstition, at least in name. For example, Christianity burned many witches. Some people think the same thing is superstition, but believers don't think they are superstitious.

Maybe we should distinguish between superstitious attitudes and superstitious objects. Superstition is often manifested as fanatical worship of forces that cannot be grasped and things that cannot be understood, so supernatural mysterious forces often become the objects of superstition, such as supernatural powers and aliens. However, some objects are superstitious by some people and regarded as normal by others. No one in modern cities will be surprised by the Coca-Cola bottle thrown into the African jungle by the pilot in the American movie "God is Crazy", which makes the indigenous people in the jungle very confused. At first they thought it was sent by God, and later they thought it was sent by the devil. This coke bottle has become the object of local indigenous superstition. Sometimes, superstitions can also be interpreted as cultural conflicts. It is natural that an experienced farmer can predict next year's harvest. In the eyes of people who think they have mastered science, they may think it is superstition, because the reason and basis of this farmer's judgment is not from science, but only from outside science. Of course, the most common object of superstition is the gods in religion, and quite a few believers' attitude towards the religion they believe in is superstition. For example, I can say that all the people in the temple are superstitious, but I dare not say that master Xuanzang, a layman in Dongpo, and others are superstitious about Buddhism.

Therefore, for many things, such as ghosts and gods, constellations, and many behaviors, such as burning incense and chanting Buddha, whether they are superstitious or not cannot be generalized. Superstition or not, much like Milu's slogan, attitude determines everything. For example, some people's pursuit of stylistic stars can be interpreted as infatuation, admiration, admiration, or superstition.

However, what many people are unwilling to accept is that science is often the object of superstition.

Although in an ideal state, we would say that science does not recognize authority, but only recognizes facts. But in fact, science itself has become the greatest authority. When a deputy county magistrate sells fertilizer to farmers, he will confidently say, "This is science." Although he may not know the chemical details of fertilizer, he will be full of confidence. The common word "the palace of science" shows that the image of science in the public is the god of justice!

It is superstition to respect what you don't understand to the supreme position.

Many people, especially scientific believers, hope to eliminate superstition, thinking that science will prosper if superstition is eliminated, just as some people think that human beings will not get sick if bacteria are eliminated. For another example, many people simply attribute diseases to bacteria, and many people think that superstition is due to ignorance, so popular science can eliminate superstition. But to what extent can we not be superstitious? My life is limited, and so is my knowledge. In any case, knowledge is a drop in the ocean compared with the complex universe and human society. Since it is impossible to know everything, there will always be unknown and mysterious things. Some people may believe that science will solve all the mysteries, but real science can't explain everything after all.

Since superstition is an attitude, we should find the reason psychologically.

People are fragile and need something stronger than themselves to rely on, so that people can reduce their fears when facing choices and waiting. For example, an associate professor in a national first-class university, even a cutting-edge science major, is facing a severe dilemma-either accepting a professorship in a foreign university with dignity or applying for a professor in our school who will be laid off once he fails to get it. If someone tells him what a master can predict, what are the chances that he will completely get rid of this temptation? When people are uncertain about the future, they will inevitably turn to some mysterious force. When people need a master, the master will appear. At this time, those who are not superstitious are the old monks who see through the world of mortals.

Superstitious people seldom think of themselves as superstitious, but believe in themselves. In fact, it is difficult for us to distinguish the psychological differences between the beliefs of scientists and those of superstitious people. Einstein thought that God did not roll dice; An old peasant woman believes that lightning and thunder come from Dian Mu, the thunder Lord, which is also a kind of belief. Can superstition and science be distinguished from their psychological state? Similarly, why should we believe that science will definitely bring happiness to people? This belief in science or a peasant woman's firm belief in the blessing of a bodhisattva, which is superstition and which is science?

When modern loggers enter the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River, local people may give some reasons why they can't cut down trees, such as angering mountain gods and bringing disaster to people. From a scientific point of view, superstition, of course. Only with the mind and technology armed with modern science can we also dare to level the mountain. This is inevitably confusing. Why do those backward and superstitious customs protect the environment, while science, which in turn helps mankind conquer nature, makes people in trouble? Is it because we are too superstitious about science?