Science as Falsification: Atomic Theory
Scientific knowledge changes over time because of falsifiability. The natural sciences are a branch of science that is based directly on the physical world. This branch of science is shared knowledge that is dependent on observation and is developed by the ways of knowing, imagination and reason. This allows a structure of knowledge that is free of human dependency. As developed by British philosopher Bertran Russell, knowledge can be divided into two categories, acquaintance and description. Knowledge through description is indirect knowledge, gained possibly through books, reviews, and opinions. While knowledge through acquaintance is direct knowledge, gained possibly through books read and places that have been visited. As developed by Karl Popper in the article Science as Falsification, scientific theories are correct until proven false. Therefore this idea by Popper makes mistakes vital in science, inclusively supporting scientists to be wrong as this is what will allow science to advance. Popper believes that every scientific theory must be prepared with the possibility of proving or being proven wrong, which is what would be considered a falsifiable scientific theory. Falsification relates to science through the effect that it has on scientific knowledge and is part of the essential components of science. The effect falsifiability has on scientific knowledge over time can be clearly seen through the atomic theory, climate theory of change, and the theory of evolution.
Atomic theory today is the scientific theory that matter is composed of atoms. However, the atomic theory has developed for hundreds of years in order to reach the theory that it is today. The atomic theory originated in ancient Greece and the origin of the word atom comes from atoms which mean indivisible in ancient greek. The existence of atoms was only proven at the end of the 18th century. Early theories were not concrete until John Dalton developed the first atomic theory. Dalton based this initial atomic theory on experimental data he collected individually. However, in 1811 Amedeo Avogrado proposed Avogrado’s law, which states that volumes of gases at equal temperatures and pressure contain the same components of particles, which proved Dalton’s initial atomic theory wrong to a certain point and corrected it. Dalton’s initial atomic theory could only be proven wrong to be more precise because the initial theory was falsifiable. As history progressed famous scientists like Albert Einstein, JJ Thomson, and Louis de Broglienew made discoveries that supported, proved, and corrected Dalton’s initial atomic theory.
While the atomic theory today is very advanced, as stated previously, the theory is not what it was originally. While it originates in ancient Greece and the early theories were not concrete, scientists like John Dalton, Amedeo Avogadro, Albert Einstein, JJ Thomson, and Louis de Broglienew made discoveries that shaped the atomic theory to what it is today. In order for the atomic theory to be what it is today, each of these scientists and anyone that is part of the atomic theory’s history should and had to have made each claim falsifiable. None of the scientists who proved a part of the theory wrong made new claims that did not allow to be proven wrong. Each new claim parted from the base that it could be proven wrong or supported just like the previous claim by the scientist.
The climate theory of change today is the scientific theory of long-term change in weather patterns. The history of the climate theory of change began in the 1800s when ice ages were first suspected and the greenhouse effect was condemned as being at fault. In the late 1900s, the first theories developed around this theory were based on the effect that human emissions of greenhouse gases could have on weather patterns. An early visioner of this issue was American inventor Tomas Edison, who believed renewable energy was the solution in the 1930s but did not have sufficient evidence to develop the theory. In the 1960s evidence began to show that carbon dioxide has a warming effect on the planet which made scientific views favor the point of view suggesting global warming. From the 1990s to today, scientific research has had significant advances, providing more evidence that factors such as oceanic processes, biotic processes, and the human effect on the world are what is causing global warming.
The climate theory of change today is a recent theory, which does not have as much history and change as the atomic theory and the theory of evolution however the theory still is completely different as to what it was originally. While the initial theories just began in the late 1900s, different advancements in science and interpretation of data have constantly shaped the theory to be what it is today. While this theory has changed from data interpretation and scientific advancements, the scientists who discovered these new corrections continued to make the resulting claims falsifiable. Therefore, each claim had the opportunity and invitation to be changed for the advancement in science.
The theory of evolution is a scientific theory that states how organisms change over time by physical or behavioral changes which allow offspring to better adapt to standards of living. The history of the theory of evolution began in 1859 when Charles Darwin published On the Origin of The Species. While Charles Darwin was able to create a foundation of evolutionary biology through this book, he also had numerous weaknesses and imprecisions in his theory and statements. Other scientists, like Gregor Mendel, August Weismann, Karl Pearson, R.A Fisher, J.B.S Haldane, Sewall Wright, Theodosius Dobzhansky, Ernst Mayr, Julian Huxley, George G. Simpson, and George Ledyard Stebbins, made numerous discoveries through different time periods in history which refined Darwin’s initial theory. While some of the previously mentioned scientists, Gregor Mendel and Theodosius Dobzhansky, proved certain claims by Darwin to be wrong, other scientists, like August Weismann, R.A Fisher, J.B.S Haldane, Sewall Wright, and George G. Simpson, supported Darwin’s claims in initial theory and further proved this theory.
The theory of evolution has both changed significantly and insignificantly. While some of Charles Darwin’s initial claims On the Origin of The Species have been proven wrong, other claims from 1859 still stand today, which is incredibly remarkable. While scientists like Gregor Mendel, August Weismann, Karl Pearson, R.A Fisher, J.B.S Haldane, Sewall Wright, Theodosius Dobzhansky, Ernst Mayr, Julian Huxley, George G. Simpson and George Ledyard Stebbins have made claims which both supported and countered Darwin’s claims, which was only possible from the base that the claims were falsifiable. Each scientist who collaborated in the molding of making the theory of evolution what it is today made their claims falsifiable in order for future scientists to prove wrong and support it.
Through the changes of the atomic theory, climate theory of change, and the theory of evolution it is evident how scientific knowledge changes over time because of falsifiability. Through acquaintance knowledge, description knowledge and the ways of knowing of imagination and reason scientists are constantly developing new claims and theories. Falsifiability encourages future scientists to correct the mistakes of previous scientists, and leave a door open for mistakes in their claims and theories. Karl Popper’s development of falsifiability in the article Science as Falsification ultimately is what makes scientific knowledge change over time.
