What is Science?

Somebody said,

"Science is exploration at the edges of human comprehension,

but that's an implication, not an equivalence"



Actually, that's another puzzle to be solved (not another hyperlink).

Just what was meant by "implication, not equivalence."?

It's one of those puzzles that is trivially obvious to the one who "sees," but from outer space (like a bird's six-factor color) to the one who doesn't.

This one links to a lot of misconceptions about science, so it's worth working out.  To start, remember that an implication (Boolean, that is) is the relationship: If (fill in the blank), then (fill in this blank too).  For example, "If potato, then vegetable." 

Trivial, right?

An equivalence (also Boolean) is more a definition: (Fill in the blank) is the same thing as (Again, fill).  "A dictionary is a book of word definitions."

Some science

For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction.

F = ma

Time is the fourth dimension.

You can't simultaneously measure both position and momentum.

Quantum mechanics showed that the world behaves according to statistical laws.

Mass can be converted to energy and vice versa:  E = mc².

The uncertainty principle revealed that observation disturbs the observed.

Energy is the capacity to do work

Einstein showed that everything is relative.

Temperature (or heat) is the motion of molecules; it's their kinetic energy.

Gravity equals 9.8.

According to the laws of physics--they're known as the first and second laws of thermodynamics and there are no known exceptions to them--you can't use energy more than once.

Creation science is an alternative to evolution...and every bit as scientific.




These concepts are all widely known and often seen as some of the substance of science.  But each has its problems.  Some are correct statements but are persistently misunderstood.  Some are simply wrong.  Some aren't even wrong.
 


Which are which?

Answers