The Big Bang Theory: Half of Americans 'Doubtful' it Happened
236 replies, posted
[QUOTE=Chonch;44609424]Aaaaaaaaaaactually the Big Bang is just a popular cosmological model--a theory, in theory--which, although extremely satisfying in its explanation of the formation of our universe, is not intended to be treated as scientific fact with the relatively scant amount of evidence it has now.
Blindly accepting every suggestion a textbook throws at you is just as bad as doing the same with a religious text.[/QUOTE]
You just better be thankful that dumb is the most insulting thing I can rate you. Learn scientific terminology before saying, "It's just a theory!"
[QUOTE=Comrade_Eko;44609525]You just better be thankful that dumb is the most insulting thing I can rate you. Learn scientific terminology before saying, "It's just a theory!"[/QUOTE]
I think what he was trying to get at is that you should be skeptical of everything.
I know the reason that most people don't believe it unfortunately, but honestly I don't believe the Big Bang as we know it probably happened just because the sheer number of older theories that have been thrown out before. In time I think a new improved theory will probably take its place. That's not to say however that I will contradict the Big Bang as most current science points towards it being true. Almost like I'm going along with it now, but I think a more accurate theory will eventually come a long.
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;44609559]I think what he was trying to get at is that you should be skeptical of everything.[/QUOTE]
Part of the post, I can see that being true, but...
[quote]...is not intended to be treated as scientific fact with the relatively scant amount of evidence it has now.[/quote]
Just untrue.
[QUOTE=Wii60;44609192]i mean even the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_interpretations_of_the_Big_Bang_theory#Christianity"]catholic church supports the big bang.[/URL][/QUOTE]
[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Lema%C3%AEtre]the guy who originally developed the big bang theory was even a catholic preist[/url]
That article is pretty disingenuous, the actual study shows the figure changes depending on how the question was phrased. But that in any case scientific and technological knowledge of Americans hasn't changed much over the last 20 years and continues to be about par with European knowledge on S/T and significantly higher than the rest of the world. [URL="http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind14/content/chapter-7/chapter-7.pdf"]The actual section on public knowledge is pretty interesting if you care to skim through it.[/URL]
Just another circle jerk. The Big Bang is as much a theory as anything else out there. Until it's proven completely I really don't think we should market it as the truth and tell it to children as fact. It's like science Sunday school. Let people think what they want.
[QUOTE=Teracotta;44609627]Just another circle jerk. The Big Bang is as much a theory as anything else out there. Until it's proven completely I really don't think we should market it as the truth and tell it to children as fact. It's like science Sunday school. Let people think what they want.[/QUOTE]
The concept of being "proven completely" is just nonsensical in science. All we can do is provide better and better evidence.
[QUOTE=Vitalogy;44609572]I know the reason that most people don't believe it unfortunately, but honestly I don't believe the Big Bang as we know it probably happened just because the sheer number of older theories that have been thrown out before. In time I think a new improved theory will probably take its place. That's not to say however that I will contradict the Big Bang as most current science points towards it being true. Almost like I'm going along with it now, but I think a more accurate theory will eventually come a long.[/QUOTE]
If there is a new theory it will be very similar to the Big Bang. Rapid explosion and all matter located in one singularity before the big bang are consistent with actual observations of the universe. Most of the questions that remain unanswered are about certain conditions that predate the explosion, something we will most likely never be able to answer.
What's mind boggling about people not believing this theory is that there is tangible evidence to support it. This is not something cooked up by scientists. I don't believe, however, that not believing in the big bang has anything to do with stupidity but more so the human's reluctance to want to learn anything new.
[QUOTE=Teracotta;44609627]Just another circle jerk.[/QUOTE]
A circle jerk?
Do you know anything this theory at all or what a circlejerk is?
I legitamitely do not care enough to look into the finer details of the Big Bang theory. I think focusing on something that happened millions of years ago is a complete waste of time and resources that could be spent improving today and the future.
As for a circle jerk, well, it's one of my favorite things and it's one of the things I hate the most.
[QUOTE=Teracotta;44609729]I legitamitely do not care enough to look into the finer details of the Big Bang theory. I think focusing on something that happened millions of years ago is a complete waste of time and resources that could be spent improving today and the future. [/QUOTE]
Then at least have the presence of mind not to talk out of your ass about a topic you don't intend to understand.
[QUOTE=Teracotta;44609729]I legitamitely do not care enough to look into the finer details of the Big Bang theory. I think focusing on something that happened millions of years ago is a complete waste of time and resources that could be spent improving today and the future.
As for a circle jerk, well, it's one of my favorite things and it's one of the things I hate the most.[/QUOTE]
So why comment about it not being worth teaching as truth if you have no knowledge or interest in that knowledge?
I'm sure that physics and the results of physics greater understanding of things has never, and will never improve your life /sarcasm
I never said I didn't comprehend the Big Bang theory, just that I'm not invested in it enough to know all the odds and ends. Everyone knows what goes into making a pizza, but you still need to google how long to cook it at what temperature.
I'm just arguing with god complex's. No real point.
[QUOTE=Teracotta;44609748]I never said I didn't comprehend the Big Bang theory, just that I'm not invested in it enough to know all the odds and ends. Everyone knows what goes into making a pizza, but you still need to google how long to cook it at what temperature.
I'm just arguing with god complex's. No real point.[/QUOTE]
well you clearly don't comprehend it then
what good is knowing how to make pizza dough if you don't know it's cooking method? that IS the pizza dough
You guys try so hard to shut out anything that doesn't perfectly fit in line with your own opinions it's hilarious.
[QUOTE=Teracotta;44609797]You guys try so hard to shut out anything that doesn't perfectly fit in line with your own opinions it's hilarious.[/QUOTE]
how so? a deeper understanding of the theory which is supported by a great deal of evidence and understanding what that evidence means in relation to the theory gives one a better understanding of it
it isn't that anyone's shut off to ideas(you more so than any of us as you yourself have said openly in this thread you have no desire to learn it and don't value that knowledge as meaningful) it's that people who understand more than you do don't want to be told their wrong by someone who has shown a demonstrated lack of understanding in comparison.
If a better theory comes along, good bye big bang theory. Until then, you'll have to give a reason as to why it's so invalid rather than expect people to respect your lack of knowledge on the subject like it gives you some form of wisdom
A theory is not a fact. I simply put forward the idea that we shouldn't market a theory as a fact. If others want to twist that and get offended by it that is their problem.
[QUOTE=Teracotta;44609853]A theory is not a fact. I simply put forward the idea that we shouldn't market a theory as a fact. If others want to twist that and get offended by it that is their problem.[/QUOTE]
This statement never made sense to me. The phrase you're looking for is "A hypothesis is not a fact." A theory isn't just a random assumption that may or may not be true.
In reality, a theory is an idea that has been proven by many facts and has yet to be disproven in any way.
[QUOTE=Teracotta;44609627]Just another circle jerk. The Big Bang is as much a theory as anything else out there. Until it's proven completely I really don't think we should market it as the truth and tell it to children as fact. It's like science Sunday school. Let people think what they want.[/QUOTE]
Please refrain from posting in science related threads until you take a 101 course on the scientific method.
[QUOTE=Teracotta;44609853]A theory is not a fact. I simply put forward the idea that we shouldn't market a theory as a fact. If others want to twist that and get offended by it that is their problem.[/QUOTE]
It's like we should call it the big bang theory instead of the big bang fac... oh wait.
The theory of relativity is only a theory but it is supremely well-evidenced, so we can reasonably claim to [I]know[/I] that it is true. The same applies to the big bang.
[QUOTE=Christian Bale;44609825]how so? a deeper understanding of the theory which is supported by a great deal of evidence and understanding what that evidence means in relation to the theory gives one a better understanding of it
it isn't that anyone's shut off to ideas(you more so than any of us as you yourself have said openly in this thread you have no desire to learn it and don't value that knowledge as meaningful) it's that people who understand more than you do don't want to be told their wrong by someone who has shown a demonstrated lack of understanding in comparison.
If a better theory comes along, good bye big bang theory. Until then, you'll have to give a reason as to why it's so invalid rather than expect people to respect your lack of knowledge on the subject like it gives you some form of wisdom[/QUOTE]
Thank you Batman, sometimes ignorance just causes such anger in a man he can't articulate his opinions in a coherent way. Luckily facepunch has the Dark Knight to save poor innocents like me.
God bless you.
[QUOTE=Teracotta;44609853]A theory is not a fact. I simply put forward the idea that we shouldn't market a theory as a fact. If others want to twist that and get offended by it that is their problem.[/QUOTE]
A theory is a collection of evidences gathered under a common similarity that points towards a central idea or hypothesis, this is a theory and by all intents and purposes a theory is a fact.
A theory is only not a theory when it is finally disproved by a singular piece of evidence that defies it. That's all it takes. One piece of evidence and it's broken.
Welp, I guess The Big Bang Theory is actually a theory then, eh?
[url]ncse.com/evolution/education/definitions-fact-theory-law-scientific-work[/url]
I got this for everyone here, just so you can actually read up on facts, theories, and hypothesis.
[QUOTE]Theory: In science, a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses.
[/QUOTE]
Read your own source dude.
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;44609904]Read your own source dude.[/QUOTE]
"Truth in science, however, is never final and what is accepted as a fact today may be modified or even discarded tomorrow."
Edit: Box from a mod while quoting the de facto scientific resource for learning in the US.
[QUOTE=Teracotta;44609853]A theory is not a fact. I simply put forward the idea that we shouldn't market a theory as a fact. If others want to twist that and get offended by it that is their problem.[/QUOTE]
No one of any real scientific relevance presents the Big Bang theory as an objective fact.
Hell, it even says "Theory" in the title.
[QUOTE=LoganIsAwesome;44609252]I do wonder how it feels to be so ignorant of your surroundings.[/QUOTE]
You should ask one of my co-workers. He doesn't believe solar/lunar eclipses are real, and thinks that they're merely superstition. :downs:
[QUOTE=Jacen;44609914]No one of any real scientific relevance presents the Big Bang theory as an objective fact.
Hell, it even says "Theory" in the title.[/QUOTE]
Seen enough of it in text books and heard it enough from professors.
[QUOTE=Teracotta;44609912]"Truth in science, however, is never final and what is accepted as a fact today may be modified or even discarded tomorrow."[/QUOTE]
And that's why it's a theory and we all call it a theory.
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