The Laws of Science

Scientific laws are statements based on empirical evidence that attempt to explain observed phenomena. It is assumed by many people, both scientists and non-scientists alike, that scientific laws never change. It is important to remember however that all scientific laws are simply statements developed by humans in an attempt to explain our world. Let's look at some important characteristics of scientific laws: Scientific laws are not like traffic laws. If you get caught breaking the speed limit you might have to pay a fine. But the law against speeding does not change. However, if you break a scientific law then that law must be modified or discarded. Universal laws cannot be proved. If a law of science uses words such as "all" or "always" then it is a universal statement. The only way to prove a universal statement is to be everywhere in the universe at the same time. Negative laws cannot be proved. If a law of science uses words such as "never" or "cannot" then it is a negative statement. The only way to prove a negative statement is to be everywhere in the universe at the same time.


Uniformitarianism