Thomas Henry Huxley* (1825-1895) maintained that “Science commits suicide when it adopts a creed**.” This is not exactly so. In the definition cited below, a creed is " A system of belief, principles, or opinions." Sounds like science to me, though we might better say science is " A system of belief, principles, or opinions supported by evidence." To do science and mathematics well does in fact require the scientist to believe in the strongest possible way the present tenets of his/her science. The science is the creed. The creed provides the guidance and rails upon which the research proceeds. Without the firm beliefs in place, the research will flip and flop between competing firmaments. Nothing happens then. Seldom does any research project begin with the goal, “I want to prove this or that is wrong.” That comes much later in the venture – long after the scientist has tried everything to support it and cannot find clear evidence to do so.
Random thoughts and used ideas