But but but the scientific method is all about dynamic adaptation to emerging data. Don't they teach the scientific method in science classes? And don't they teach about the taxonomy debates in biology which lead to the current (quasi-)systematic notion of 'species'?
And what does the linguistic nature of naming have to do with the empirical question of truth?
The questions 'is it a duck?' and 'shall we call it a duck?' are very different, and I cannot imagine a scientist being confused about it - not being confused about it is the very point of science, and quite specifically what distinguishes it from magic.
This 'common perception' is very alien to me.
Though - I did once get into trouble with an (extrmely stupid and very poorly educated) religion teacher because she said that it says in the Bible that a whale is a fish, and was astonishingly offended when I pointed out to her that the Bible says nothing at all in English. Perhaps such people are 'common' in your environment! :)
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Date: 2006-08-26 03:51 pm (UTC)And what does the linguistic nature of naming have to do with the empirical question of truth?
The questions 'is it a duck?' and 'shall we call it a duck?' are very different, and I cannot imagine a scientist being confused about it - not being confused about it is the very point of science, and quite specifically what distinguishes it from magic.
This 'common perception' is very alien to me.
Though - I did once get into trouble with an (extrmely stupid and very poorly educated) religion teacher because she said that it says in the Bible that a whale is a fish, and was astonishingly offended when I pointed out to her that the Bible says nothing at all in English. Perhaps such people are 'common' in your environment! :)