˜Theœ great paradox of science: why its conclusions can be relied upon even though they cannot be proven

Science has revolutionized our lives and continues to show inexorable progress today. It may seem obvious that this must be because its theories are steadily getting better and approaching the truth about the world. After all, what could science be progressing toward, if not the truth? But scholarship in the history, philosophy, and sociology of science offers little support for such a sanguine view. Those opposed to specific conclusions of the scientific community-nonbelievers in vaccinations, climate change, and evolution, for example-have been able to use a superficial understanding of the nature of science to sow doubt about the scientific consensus in those areas, leaving the general public confused as to whom to trust, with damaging effects for the health of individuals and the planet. The Great Paradox of Science argues that to better counter such anti-science efforts requires us to understand the nature of scientific knowledge at a much deeper level and dispel many myths and misconceptions. It is the use of scientific logic, the characteristics of which are elaborated on in the book, that enables the scientific community to arrive at reliable consensus judgments in which the public can retain a high degree of confidence. This scientific logic is applicable not just in science but can be used in all areas of life. Scientists, policymakers, and members of the general public will not only better understand why science works: They will also acquire the tools they need to make sound, rational decisions in all areas of their lives. Science has revolutionized our lives and continues to show inexorable progress today. It may seem obvious that this must be because its theories are steadily getting better and approaching the truth about the world. After all, what could science be progressing toward, if not the truth? But scholarship in the history, philosophy, and sociology of science offers little support for such a sanguine view.0Those opposed to specific conclusions of the scientific community-nonbelievers in vaccinations, climate change, and evolution, for example-have been able to use a superficial understanding of the nature of science to sow doubt about the scientific consensus in those areas, leaving the general public confused as to whom to trust, with damaging effects for the health of individuals and the planet.0The Great Paradox of Science argues that to better counter such anti-science efforts requires us to understand the nature of scientific knowledge at a much deeper level and dispel many myths and misconceptions. It is the use of scientific logic, the characteristics of which are elaborated on in the book, that enables the scientific community to arrive at reliable consensus judgments in which the public can retain a high degree of confidence. This scientific logic is applicable not just in science but can be used in all areas of life. Scientists, policymakers, and members of the general public will not only better understand why science works: They will also acquire the tools they need to make sound, rational decisions in all areas of their lives IntroductionPART ONE: Why understanding the nature of science is important1. Did dinosaurs have tea parties?2. The traps of scientific history3. Misconceptions about the methodology and epistemology of science4. What is the goal of science?5. The power of scientific theories and the problem of inductionPART TWO: Case study of the age of the Earth6. What the age of the Earth reveals about how science progresses7. What we learn about science from the study of the age of the EarthPART THREE: Science and true knowledge8. A brief history on the search for true knowledge9. The role of doubt and faith in science10. The basic features of sciencePART FOUR: The nature of scientific logic13. Truth in mathematics and science14. The burden of proof in scientific and legal systems15. Proof by logical contradiction16. The role of negative evidence in establishing universal claims17. Dark matter, dark energy, string theory, and the multiversePART FIVE: Resolving the Great Paradox18. How scientists choose between competing theories19. Why some scientific controversies never die20. How science evolves and the Great Paradox of science21. The three trees of scientific knowledge22. Resolving the Great ParadoxSupplementary MaterialAcknowledgmentsReferences Many people are admirers of science and are eager to know more about it but are woefully unaware of why that knowledge is so powerful. That lack of understanding can be exploited by those with harmful agendas to sow doubt about the validity of the consensus conclusions arrived at by scientists about issues of major importance. This book's explanation of why the theories of science work so well without being true may not only surprise them, it would also enable them to counter harmful anti-science agendas and provide practical benefits by enabling them to make much better judgments about issues