General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: No more NYT [View all]athena
(4,187 posts)Some things are settled. For example, no one is arguing today about whether the Earth is round and whether it goes around the Sun. While physicists are still looking for an elegant theory to explain the four forces of nature, no self-respecting scientist would question well-established theories that have been proven in their area of validity. For example, classical mechanics is still valid for low speeds and large sizes; relativity for high speeds and large sizes; quantum mechanics for small sizes, etc. And indeed, relativity produces the same results as classical mechanics at low speeds; quantum mechanics the same results as classical mechanics at large sizes, etc.
The reason science is as good as it is is that it relies on the scientific method -- i.e., on devising and conducting experiments to test the validity of hypotheses. There is a reason we spend so much time, money, and effort on experiments. We don't turn around and question the theories that have been verified with repeated experiments.
There is a reason almost all climate scientists believe in global warning. This conclusion is what is supported by all the available data.
(I have a Ph.D. in physics.)