Changing Science, the Science of Change

Reading time: 5 mins

Since the progression of Post-Darwinian ‘Scientism’ in the 19^{th -}20^th Century, people have often quipped the common phrase ‘trust the science’ when referring to situations of intellectual credibility and empirical reasoning. Granted, science is critical to any reasonable metaphysical discussion of the world, but what may often escape consideration is that science itself is always changing.

Throughout the history of science there have been remarkable waves of watershed moments which modify the very nature of empirical belief, yet still a robustness in the sense of science’s overall purpose. Take the theory of relativity, for example. Often, lines have been blurry, with political and religious influence leaving science in an interesting position regarding its overall influence on the worldview of the populus.

One example which demonstrates the dynamic nature of science is the understanding of the earth and its cosmological position. For centuries, it was scientific consensus that the earth was positioned at the centre of the universe, whilst the sun and other celestial bodies revolved around our watery home. This was known as the ‘Geocentric’ model. Eventually, along came a man named Nicholas Copernicus who challenged this thoroughly and concluded that the sun was actually at the centre, and that the earth revolved around it. This became the 'Heliocentric' model.

Of course this is still not the full truth, yet it was a development toward the reality and an important historical moment. For me and you today, this historical episode demonstrates the true nature of science, which is to respond to available evidence and allow it to guide us to the true empirical state of affairs. It was a lesson in humility for collective humanity, and humility should always undergird scientific inquiry, bearing in mind it is in a constant state of development and change.