Since scientific theory is never proven.?

Question

Does that mean that Nicolaus Copernicus theory that the earth revolves around the sun is unproven and still a theory?

According to Karl Popper and his scientific method: a theory is always a theory waiting to be disproven but never proven.

Answer 1

No Theories are overarching explanations that make sense of some aspect of nature, are based on evidence, allow scientists to make valid predictions, and have been tested in many ways. Theories are supported, modified, or replaced as new evidence appears. Theories give scientists frameworks within which to work. Major theories of science, such as the heliocentric theory are all big ideas within which scientists test specific hypotheses.also science is a process where scientific ideas are developed through reasoning  

Answer 2

Scientific theories can't be proven in the formal logical sense, the way the Pythagorean Theorem can be proven. Certainly, the fact that the Earth revolves around the sun has been proven beyond reasonable doubt. As for Copernicus, his theory of the solar system assumed planets moved in perfect circles, which is wrong. Current theory of planetary motion is based on Kepler, Newton, and Einstein.

Answer 3

Yes.  And his theory was improved by changing the perfect circles to slightly messier ellipses by Kepler.

And Newton's theory of gravity was expanded and made considerably messier by Einstein.

General Relativity checks out in the lab, in numerous astronomical situations, and so on.  But it is known to be incompatible with Quantum Mechanics, which also checks out.  So people are looking for a grand unified theory which does both.  Some say that General Relativity will have to change.  It's hard to imagine.  Well, lots of smart people have been looking at it, and so far have not solved it. It's not easy.  But in any case, one (or both) of these theories need to be modified.

So Karl is right.

Answer 4

There's a big difference in science between "theory" and "hypothesis".  A theory has survived testing through the scientific method.  A hypothesis has not yet been subjected to such testing.  Just because something is a theory does not mean that all explanations are equally likely.

You can prove somethings with 100% certainty within mathematics.  We know with 100% certainty that pi is an irrational number, without having to check every decimal place, but only because pure mathematics is an abstract world within itself, with its own declared axioms and elements, in such a way that it always remains free of contradictions.

In the real world, it's not that simple.  The reason why scientific theories are not "proven" is because philosophically speaking, there is no way to be 100% sure of something in the real world.  You can always dream up some other explanation for something you see, no matter how weird or bizarre it sounds.  But again, that doesn't mean that a heliocentric solar system, an earth-centered solar system, or for that matter the claim that the god Atlas holds up the earth on his shoulders are all equally valid.  A heliocentric solar system (earth revolves around sun) makes MUCH more sense when we look at what we know about gravity, the equations we have, elipitcal orbits, etc.

Stephen Jay Gould put it best:

"Facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts. Facts don't go away when scientists debate rival theories to explain them. Einstein's theory of gravitation replaced Newton's in this century, but apples didn't suspend themselves in midair, pending the outcome. [...] Moreover, "fact" doesn't mean "absolute certainty"; there ain't no such animal in an exciting and complex world. The final proofs of logic and mathematics flow deductively from stated premises and achieve certainty only because they are not about the empirical world. [...] In science "fact" can only mean "confirmed to such a degree that it would be perverse to withhold provisional consent." I suppose that apples might start to rise tomorrow, but the possibility does not merit equal time in physics classrooms."

Answer 5

Yes. Like the above answerer said, we use science which is stepwise logic which Godel showed to be flawed unlike that used by many religions that use a "holistic" method (The Big Picture).

BTW the heliocentric theory is MUCH older than you have been led to believe...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliocentri...

Answer 6

Geezah is generally on the money.  However, his comment "...only because pure mathematics is an abstract world within itself, with its own declared axioms and elements, in such a way that it always remains free of contradictions" is not correct.

Gödel's incompleteness theorems show that all but the most simplistic mathematical systems are not able to prove all valid truths which can be stated within the logic of the system.  That is, they are not internally consistent.  This is fairly high-brow mathematical philosophy expressed within his own derived mathematical logic system.  For a brief, if not necessarily understandable explanation, check out the Wikipedia link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6del'...

For those who are really interested in this arcane and esoteric branch of mathematical theory, Douglas Hofstadter's book entitled "Godel, Escher and Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid" is a fascinating foray into artificial intelligence, recursion, holistic and reductionistic philosophy, and incompleteness theory.

Answer 7

<<Does that mean that Nicolaus Copernicus theory that the earth revolves around the sun is unproven and still a theory?>>

Yes, it's a theory.  However, it's a fine explanation to account for the observed fact that the Earth does indeed revolve around the Sun.

<<According to Karl Popper and his scientific method: a theory is always a theory waiting to be disproven but never proven.>>

You've missed a detail.  A theory is awaiting disproval (aka falsification), but only if it happens to be wrong.  If a theory is bang on the nail correct, then it won't actually get falsified.

Answer 8

no h**l no if it does we would not be here, there will be not life on earth