Can you make assumptions in science?

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The bottom line is assumptions ARE USED IN SCIENCE.

MERRIAM-WEBSTER DIDN'T JUST pull that synonym, per Hypotheticals, and the example line on Assumptions about Mars, PER SCIENCE, out of their 'butt'.

They have a lot of practice AT DEFINING WORDS CLEARLY.

And MERRIAM-WEBSTER IS the world's most trusted dictionary, for good REASON.

THEY GET THE JOB DONE CORRECT, CONSISTENTLY, ALL THE TIME, DEFINING WORDS FULLY, AS IS.

AND in THIS case 'they' make it MORE THAN CLEAR THAT assumptions ARE USED in science.

OTHER than that this thread is mental masturbation, and there's nothing wrong with that, in my opinion.

Simple!

All you need to do is demonstrate, where we can all see it, that entropy works in reverse because you want it to if you wait long enough.

Well, Oldavid, and GREAT CREATIVE user name, by the way, at least with human beings and the power of the 'Quantum Mind' that ENTROPY WORKING IN REVERSE THINGY is possible within the span of one lifetime, and I have conclusive case study evidence, at least in MY CASE, for IT.

LIFE IS A WONDERFUL GIFT for those folks who live it that way, as it can either be LITERAL heaven on this earth or hell.

I choose heaven and ALL THERE IS IS NOW, SO EVERYTHING NOW IS COMPLETE ABOUT MY LIFE.

Ah.. the power of HUMAN RELATIVE FREE WILL, PRACTICED IN NOW...

THERE IS NOTHING QUITE LIKE IT FOR THOSE who truly exercise IT now.

Oh, and here is the case study evidence thoroughly examined and evidenced, empirically so...

http://katiemiafrederick.com/2015/02/09/quantum-mind-unleashed/

And you friend, helped me do it, in your own inspirational way, as I gain inspiration from all folks, no matter WHAT THEY SAY OR DO.

I AM IN CONTROL, with my own will, relatively speaking, of course...

I MASTER ENTROPY WITH MY MIND and body balance.

Perhaps that is a BOLD STATEMENT BUT IT IS FACT, EVIDENCED AS SUCH, in the case study, linked above.

And there was a so-called prophet named Jesus that promised that human beings CAN JUST DO IT, IF THEY set their minds and bodies in balance TO IT.

HE, OR WHOMEVER write THOSE WORDS IN THE NT IS/ARE correct, undoubtedly SO.

When it comes to human nature and Universal truth, ah.. the world across distance and space IS a small small world of WONDER.

AND IT'S oh so nice to live, tHere.

For me at least, It's BOOGIE WONDERLAND.

And THAT my friend is an extra kool place TO BE..

Even at age 54, wHere entropy IS NO PROBLEM AT ALL.



Perhaps back then.. it went down something like this..



Hmm.. at least in the early 70's..

"Assumption" is not a synonym for "hypothesis".

A hypothesis is a provisional version of a "theory". An idea that you are testing in an experiment.

I have a hypothesis that the moon is made of green cheese.
I will test my hypothesis by testing it experimentally by....examining the Apollo astronauts' suits to see if there is any green cheese residue on the soles of the foot ware part of their space suits. My experiment is based upon the "assumption" that they havent washed down the returning astronuats' suits yet- to obliterate the evidence.

You see?

They are not the same thing. Not even close to being synonyms.

But yes- science does require making assumptions- both in the colloguial, and in the scientific sense.

Last edited by naturalplastic on 10 Feb 2015, 1:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

And besides: Your dictionary defines "assumption" the same way I do: as something taken for granted as a fact. So what was the point of posting that?

OMG, please don't tell me you THINK you are smarter than the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

The dent dude already attempted that on the frigging def. of Science.

A hypothesis and a frigging hypothetical AND an assumption are ALL SYNONYMS.

Capice..?

Or are you STILL SMARTER THAN the dictionary.

If so, believe as you will..

Your issue, not mine. ..

With all due respect, of course..

AND by the way, the bold feature, is kinda crappy, as it does not ALWAYS stand out, AND PART OF WHY I USE CAPS, so you might have to look for the bolded synonyms above to find the word HYPOTHETICAL IN THERE, in what, WHERE and WHY I QUOTED IT.

Last edited by aghogday on 10 Feb 2015, 2:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

If you can't make assumptions, you can't do science, then you are just doing aimless experiments which amount to nothing.

You are seriously missing a very important point -- the language as used in science is, by necessity, more precise than that used by non-scientists. What science doesn't need is for people to start playing word games based on the ambiguity of human languages.

If you use 'hypothesis' and 'assumption' as synonyms in science, you will be thought of as being some kind of village idiot with no credibility whatsoever. After all, if you have no comprehension of the most basic terms in science, then who would expect you to be able to get something more complicated at all correct?

Dude we are not talking about proper language for a research paper here, we are talking about semantics and definitions of words.

It is perfectly acceptable to talk about assumptions as synonyms for hypotheticals in science, in a casual conversation OR ON THE INTERWEBZ.

I was a technical writer for the government in my many hats there, and in red tape land, the restrictions when actually writing documents is much different than discussing them informally.

Additionally, I was employed as a research associate in my younger years, and I am more than familiar with the ins and outs of scientific research as I actually did it for pay.

We all SHOULD know assumptions in science are hypotheticals, at least in common sense language, and that IS PRECISELY WHAT THE MERIAM-WEBSTER DICTIONARY SPEAKS TO, COMMON SENSE, not rigid black and white thinking, as the English Language DOES NOT work like that, as it is ALL METAPHOR AT CORE.

SO in other words, lighten up, and enjoy science if you can and will, without worrying about all the P's and Q's, dotted i's and crossed t's, as that is not the concern of lay people here, unless they want it to be, and that's okay too.

But never the less, the Merriam-Webster dictionary has this common sense issue, already resolved, for black and white thinkers, if they can move outside the box of thinking, per P's and Q's, dotted i's and crossed t's.

You cannot intelligently discuss science if you don't even understand the language.

Oh please dude, don't try the insulting the intelligence thingy with me.

I am more than educated well, with three degrees in science and art.

Top of the class dude, and I have the documentation to prove it.

It takes more than just jargon to understand science.

And any REAL SCIENTIST can tell you that.

Ok, now that we understand the issue with definitions,
we can also understand the issue with how people answer the question.
And each will answer it according to their own understanding.
Semantics aside, I think we're all headed in the right direction.

I AGREE..

We're not talking about jargon. We are talking about definitions of some of the most basic terms common to all sciences. I have never come across any situation in science where the terms 'hypothesis' and 'assumption' are interchangeable.

Perhaps you know of an example in science where they are interchangeable. If so, please enlighten us.

You need to understand that synonyms do not mean that the words are equivalent -- only that each has one or more definitions that are sufficiently similar to each other.

For example, 'shut' and 'close' are synonyms. You could say "shut the door" or "close the door" and be equally correct. However, if you were to say "I am shut to the solution to this problem" instead of "I am close to the solution to this problem", you would leave people scratching their heads wondering what you mean.

The word "assumption" can be used to mean "making hypotheticals".

But the way scientists use the term its almost the exact opposite of how they use the word "assumption".

The "hypothesis" is the thing being tested. Your "assumptions" are the factors you are NOT testing because you take those factors as given.

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, OF course THAT IS THE WAY hypothesis is used in science; however, this is a discussion of lay folks, overall, NOT scientists.

In the real world people refer to scientific hypotheses as assumptions all the time, and I for one gave up splitting hairs over semantics long ago. Believe as you may and express it however you like, is my way of doing STUFF now.

I WAS A scientist at one time and did get paid for it; but it is far too restricting, per the modern scientific method def. of science for what I understand NOW of reality, as a quantum one for both physics and human mind AND BODY in BALANCE.

Science ain't got a clue on the QUANTUM mind part, YET, and that is why I LEFT IT BEHIND.

But yes, I visit the INFANT of science often, here and tHere.