Scientia

The term science derives from the Latin word for knowledge – scientia. Although laymen tend to confuse science with the areas investigated by scientific method, science strictly refers to a systematic method of attaining knowledge about the physical world.

Scientific 'knowledge' inheres both observed, empirical data and the best possible explanation regarding the mechanisms by which the observed phenomena came about and the prediction, where appropriate, of any future manifestations that can reasonably be expected. Scientific method is most appropriately applied to natural, physical phenomena, and methodology defines the subject areas appropriate to investigation.

Historically, early Western scientists believed that their empirical observations were a cataloguing of God's works. However, science ultimately became religion-neutral. As understanding of the operations of the physical world increased, it became obvious that there is no logical necessity to invoke miraculous explanations for natural phenomena. Much to the chagrin and denial of creationists, God has been squeezed out of the shrinking gaps in scientific knowledge. As a result, scientists, those with higher education, and those with higher IQ are more likely than the general population to accept the fact of biological evolution, and to be agnostic or atheist.

ɷ Behe Retreats
ɷ Complexity Reductio
ɷ God of the Gaps
ɷ Irreducible Illogic
ɷ Through the Microscope Brightly
ɷ We, the Products of Blind Evolution

ɷ biological evolution
ɷ inductive vs deductive
ɷ science