L3

• Limitations of Science


  • It CANNOT be used to prove the existence of God
  • "Ain't No Test Tube Big Enough"
  • Limited by instrumentation or the ability to make observations/measurements
  • Limited by practicality
  • Time, Safety, & Cost
  • Limited by ethics
• Limitations of Science


  1. It CANNOT be used to prove the existence of God

  2. Instrumentation

  3. Practicality

  4. Ethics

  5. Science cannot be used to make moral and aesthetic judgement
• Moral Judgement


  Determining what is right or wrong, dependent on the appreciation of information by the "judge"
• Science can be used to provide validated information for an individual to pass moral judgement
• Aesthetic Judgement


  Determining what is beautiful or ugly, beauty is in the eye of the beholder
• Science should not be limited on what it can pursue (from the scientist's perspective)
• Who can pursue science, how one can pursue science, and who can use the products of science should be limited
• Types of Research


  • BASIC Research - to determine or establish fundamental facts and relationships within a discipline or field of study, gaining knowledge for its own sake
  • APPLIED Research - undertaken specifically for the purpose of obtaining information to help resolve a particular problem
• The main distinction between BASIC and APPLIED research is the immediate and practical application
• Both BASIC and APPLIED research CANNOT immediately solve problems
• Technology Transfer


  1. BASIC Research

  2. APPLIED Research

  3. Validated Info

  4. Validated Info

  5. End Users

  6. Actual "Product" (Goods or Services)