Introduction
The quest for the truth about the natural world has held man in awe across cultures and times. Although reason and empiricism are the cornerstone of the modern scientific method, faith does have a small yet vital role. As Plato wrote in the Allegory of the Cave, the realm of forms that structure reality is difficult to grasp: to them, the truth would literally be nothing but the shadows of the images. But we have to believe that there are patterns in waiting (Andersen 45). Newton’s first law also says that one should not ‘admit more causes of natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances’ (Maxwell 67). This should involve trust that nature is governed by consistent laws that are obtainable through observation and reasoning.
The Rules for the Study of Natural Philosophy by Newton are the elements of the scientific method based on empirical observation and rational deduction. Newton stresses the role of simplicity in scientific accounts and warns against the generation of superfluous hypotheses. This principle is reminiscent of the concept of Occam’s Razor, which holds that the simplest explanation is usually the best (Van Den Berg 112). In the end, modern medicine is practising with the thesis that new treatments which have not been fully proven offer better chances due to the latest knowledge. “Chance favours only the prepared mind” was quoted by Louis Pasteur, and it reflects the fact that one should believe in their theories but still be open to new evidence (Kubinyi 23). In physics, Einstein followed his theory of relativity without complete experimental evidence, using creative reasoning and faith in the ordered world. The double-helix structure of DNA by Watson and Crick was founded on the belief in the proof of X-ray diffraction patterns. Their jump is what put biology in the genomics era. This theory is developed from the belief in underlying genetic continuity. As evolutionary theorist Theodosius Dobzhansky has famously put it, “Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution.”
Vaccines are a perceptive example of how medicine operates within the interrelationship of faith and evidence-based reasoning. Vaccines are formulated to evoke an immune response to particular pathogens, which results in immunity to specific diseases. The first hypothesis of vaccine development is based on the belief that running weakened or inactive pathogens into the body will cause a protective immune response without disease. This hypothesis is tested by a series of thorough clinical trials, which evaluate the efficacy and safety of vaccines in controlled settings. The science inquiry backed up both by faith and evidence has shown its power in the successful use of vaccines against such diseases as smallpox, polio, and COVID-19.
In biology, faith is an important factor in forming a comprehension of complicated ecological systems and processes of evolution. Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection transformed biology as it provided the mechanism for the diversity of life on Earth. The theory of Darwin, which is represented in his principle work “On the Origin of Species,” was based on the faith in the slow accretion of small variations over time, which is caused by the selective pressures of the environment (Darwin 56). Though Darwin did not have full knowledge of the genetic mechanisms, his belief in the interdependence of life forms and the process of adaptation built the foundations for the current evolutionary biology. Other genetic discoveries, for instance, Mendel’s laws of heredity and the structure of DNA, gave empirical evidence for Darwin’s theory and reinforced the reliance on faith in determining scientific research.
The pursuit of the fundamental particles and forces represents in physics the act of faith in advancing our knowledge about the universe. The Standard Model of particle physics is that of elementary particles, including quarks, leptons, and gauge bosons, as well as fundamental forces consisting of electromagnetism, weak nuclear force, and strong nuclear force. These theoretical constructs, which differ from the actual physical entities as concepts, are derived from mathematical formalisms and empirical observations, but they cannot be seen from direct perception or intuitive understanding. Faith is the pillar of the coherence and elegance of the laws of nature that physicists use in developing their theoretical frameworks and experiments. The finding of the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider in 2012 confirmed a major prediction of the Standard Model and reinforced the confidence of physicists in the basic laws that guide our universe (Evans 32).
However, uncontrolled belief is a threat to confirmation bias. Newton’s fourth rule advises against going too far from the mechanical explanations as all the qualities of bodies depend on the mechanical affections of the parts. Therefore, pseudosciences often give too much faith in non-evidential theories. So, as the available tools, such as randomized controlled trials and physics simulations, evolve, we need to constantly reaffirm and base our beliefs. This game of faith and rigour leads to the progress of science. Philosopher Karl Popper contended that although theories can never be verified, a willingness to falsifiability preserves the integrity of science (Maxwell 76). By maintaining the equilibrium between the two, wholesome development is maintained.
Popper’s idea of falsifiability is centred around the need for scientific theories to be put to empirical testing and possibly refutation; what this means is that one has to be able to find empirical evidence that proves the theory wrong, this means he has to develop a test to prove the theory wrong. According to Popper, a scientific theory should be able to predict in specific measurable and testable terms that can either be confirmed or refuted through observational evidence (Maxwell 87). By critically assessing the hypotheses, scientists come to know which theories can be successfully tested using empirical evidence and which ones fail the falsifiability criterion.
Conclusion
In summary, belief in the ordered natural laws and in our ability to uncover them fuels science, from predicting new particles in physics to searching for unconventional remedies for chronic diseases. However, the faith should be diluted with some sceptical inquiry not to have so much prejudice. To walk this fine line is to progress in the state of the art with some humility. By continuous contemplation and readiness to increase our knowledge of the truths of nature, individuals not only reveal the secrets of nature but also understand in a better way their place in the grand order.
Works Cited
Andersen, Nathan. Shadow Philosophy: Plato’s Cave and Cinema. Routledge, 2014.
Darwin, Charles. On the origin of species by means of natural selection or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. John Murray, 1876.
Evans, Lyndon R., ed. The Large Hadron Collider is a marvel of technology. epfl Press, 2009, https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=tl8fLB1viQcC&oi=fnd&pg=PP46&dq=The+Large+Hadron+Collider:+a+marvel+of+technology&ots=5aPPOQQUbN&sig=xVk8__S-oPzA9r4buD6rp6HGazk
Kubinyi, Hugo. “Chance favours the prepared mind-from serendipity to rational drug design.” Journal of Receptors and Signal Transduction, vol. 19, no. 1–4, 1999, pp. 15–39, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10799899909036635
Maxwell, Nicholas. “Three Criticisms of Newton’s Inductive Argument in the Principia.” 2013, https://philpapers.org/rec/MAXTCO-4
Maxwell, Nicholas. Karl Popper, Science and Enlightenment. Ucl Press, 2017.
Van Den Berg, Hugo A. “Occam’s razor: from Ockham’s via moderna to modern data science.” Science Progress, vol. 101, no. 3, 2018, pp. 261–272.
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