How science lost our faith

Science just means ‘knowledge.’

It is assumed that what we ‘know’ is ‘known’ because it is true.

Though “proven” is a bridge too far, knowledge is supposed to be verified evidence. Evidence means seen.

It may be “seen” through a microscope, a telescope, a data table, or direct experience. Somehow we see something.

When did science start? Ancient Greeks like Thales, classical Greeks like Aristotle, classical Daoist Chinese, classical Hindu mathematicians, and Buddhist astrologers all played a part.

Science - in its simplest and purest sense - is curiosity with a side of experimentation. It goes back to the beginnings of Homo sapiens sapiens — 250,000 years ago.

Modern natural/physical science(s) surged into the lead of society — driven by the openings of the Renaissance, the return of Aristotle (especially through Averroes), the addition of Francis Bacon’s scientific method during the Scientific Revolution, the rise of rationalism during the Enlightenment, and the funding patronage of the Industrial Revolution.

In university studies, science ascended above the humanities because manufacturing industries funded its expansion.

Though it was supposed to maintain objectivity, impartiality, and a leaning toward self-skepticism, ‘science’ has sometimes been corrupted by its search for ‘fame,’ stardom, funding sources, patronage by industry, and excessive quests for agency and efficacy.

Modern science has (occasionally) been willing to trade accuracy for funding. Science must have skepticism and high standards of reliability, validity, and verification. Corporations have gamed the system of science and federal/state laws to promote products based on corrupted data and conclusions, that they have learned how to ‘control.’

Enough corruptions of science have happened, like Exxons oil and carbon dioxide studies, to cause people to be overly skeptical of science in general. Conspiracy theorists, propagandists, and internet trolls have used these occurrences to allow themselves to lean strongly toward nihilism and then game the same system AND to pull their cronies, sycophants, and the generally-uninformed-public with them.