Throughout history, people have developed numerous, validated ideas about the world, enabling successive generations to reach an in-depth understanding of their environment and the human species. These ideas were developed through specific modes of observation, thinking, experimentation, and validation. These processes are fundamental aspects of science, which sets it apart from other forms of knowing. The question is, are we as humans approaching the peak of scientific knowledge?
One reason to be skeptical of scientists is that they are assuming that the universe is a single system, with laws of motion that apply to all parts of it. Thus, knowledge gained in one area of the world is applicable to other parts, including other planets and bodies. As a result, the same principles of motion applied to falling objects on the Earth are applicable to the moon, planets, and other bodies.
It is difficult to say that we are reaching the peak of scientific knowledge, particularly when it concerns human behaviour and the human sciences. In some cases, a teacher may confidently talk about correlation, but it’s more difficult to determine causation. But scientific theories only survive if they are able to stand the test of time. In contrast, laws are different. In the natural sciences, laws do not change, and they are relatively good at predicting what will happen. In the human sciences, they often fail to do this, but they are still reasonably good at uncovering trends.
While our ancestors lived in small bands, we have a profound understanding of our immediate environment. We understand the physics of everyday objects, and even developed some clever tools. But there was no scientific activity. For example, we could not figure out the largest prime number. And if we could, we would have invented new ways to find out that question. Our human minds have been improving since that time.
