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Author Topic:   Pluto's planet status
New Cat's Eye
Inactive Member


Message 1 of 39 (343298)
08-25-2006 11:26 AM


So, I'm sure most of us have heard that they demoted Pluto from planetary status: National Geographic News about it.
I thought this could spark an interesting discussion about the tentativity of science.
I think some creationists might use this as an oppotunity to show how science has "lied" about Pluto, or were wrong, or something else. I also think it is a good opportunity for them to learn about how science can change and still remain reliable.
This might not be the best example because, basically, they just changed the definition of the word planet, but I think it could drift into a discussion about changes in science, in general. Also, there seems to be this notion that science has some hidden agenda with evolution, and this example of tenitivity could be used as a segue to a discussion on how the ToE could easily change with new evidence.
Anyone think this is a good idea?
Links and Information or Is is Science?

Science fails to recognize the single most potent element of human existence.
Letting the reigns go to the unfolding is faith, faith, faith, faith.
Science has failed our world.
Science has failed our Mother Earth.
-System of a Down, "Science"

Replies to this message:
 Message 3 by nwr, posted 08-25-2006 11:44 AM New Cat's Eye has not replied
 Message 4 by Archer Opteryx, posted 08-25-2006 1:30 PM New Cat's Eye has not replied
 Message 8 by ohnhai, posted 08-25-2006 9:49 PM New Cat's Eye has not replied
 Message 10 by ikabod, posted 08-26-2006 5:28 AM New Cat's Eye has not replied
 Message 12 by RAZD, posted 08-26-2006 11:14 AM New Cat's Eye has not replied

  
New Cat's Eye
Inactive Member


Message 6 of 39 (343385)
08-25-2006 5:18 PM


I thought maybe we would discuss along the lines of facts and tenitivity. For example, in grade school we memorized the nine planets. It was taught as fact. Now we've changed it and what I was taught is now false.
Some things about evolution are spoken of as fact but if we changed a definition {species}, or found new info, all the arguing here about some fact could suddenly be false, although now they are spoken of as fact.
I thought this would be something that creationists would have a problem with and I thought they might chime in with their misconceptions and we could explain to them how and why science works this way. Maybe, then, they could drop the whole thing about some hidden agenda in science, or some conspiracy, to thwart theism or the bible.

Replies to this message:
 Message 7 by nwr, posted 08-25-2006 5:49 PM New Cat's Eye has not replied
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