Fact
From Free net encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Fact (disambiguation).
In science 'fact' is an objective and verifiable observation.
Outside of science, a word 'fact' may be associated with some of the following:
- A honest observation confirmed by widely respected observers.
- Errors are common in the interpretation of the meaning of observations.
- Power is frequently used to force the politcally correct interpretation of an observation.
- A repeatedly observed regularity.
- One observation of any phenomenon does not necessarily make it a fact. Repeatability of an observation is required usually by using the stated procedures or operational definitions of a phenomenon.
- Something thought to be actual as opposed to invented.
- Something concrete used as a basis for further interpretation.
- Information about a particular subject.
- Something believed to be the case.
Science uses facts. In order to have objectivity science makes an effort not to use human emotional subjective senses or reports as factual in it efforts to observe and confirm repeatability of observations. Instead science uses measuring tools (like clock, meter stick and other standards) and recording devices (like spectrometers, cameras, oscilloscopes, etc). Science also use deductive and inductive logic (usually in form of mathematics) to derive reliable and statisically important conclusions through the process of measured data with the goal of forming or confirming laws of nature and theories - like relativity theory, theory of evolution, etc. Science fundamentally means "Let me tell you HOW I believe I LOGICALLY THINK I know."
The tremendous success of science we witness in 19-21 century is the direct result of use of the scientific method for generating facts (about nature) and of logic (mathematics) - which allows to dramatically improve and diversify our life via building high quality shelters, transportation, communication, entertainment, drugs, etc.
Psychological aspects of factual claims
We tend to see facts which support our position and ignore facts which contradict our opinion. However, events that do not fit our framework also tend to stand out and draw our attention. Beautiful theories that explain a cluster of facts as we know them are frequently destroyed by new facts. New theories can help us see new facts that we never suspected to exist.
Proven - a theory or fact is proven when the data strongly supports the theory and the competent scientific observers agree that the theory is probably true. Nothing is ever proven absolutely. All knowledge is tentative and subject to revision. Proven means that the scientists collectively have become accustomed to viewing or believing that a certain model is probably true.
Truth means that the data or facts have accumulated to such an extent it becomes increasingly difficult to see another way of understanding what the data actually means. Historically, truths are found not to be true.
Belief is an opinion or trust in a particular point of view. Dogma is an unquestioned or strong belief system. Dogmatic
people frequently know that they know the truth. They also frequently know that you must be punished for your transgressions from the truth.
Statements of fact
A statement of fact or a factual claim is a statement that is presented as an accurate representation of a situation, event, or condition, and that is capable of being either proved or disproved.
If a factual claim is incorrect, then it is called a mistake or an error (if the person making the statement believed it to be correct) or a lie (if the person making the statement did not believe it). A factual claim shown to be correct is a fact. A factual claim that was believed to be true may later shown to be false (disproved), and a factual claim believed to have been disproved may later shown to be true. A fact that was once a fact and hence becomes disproven may once again become a fact if the factual evidence supporting its validity become increasingly factual in light of new and, ultimately, factual evidence. Supporting evidence may become realised for a fact long after the fact itself was first established and, thus, a factual claim must be as fact once the Popperian elements of falsification have been exausted - a process that never ends - to end with a fact accepted in the social. A belief that cannot be proved or disproved is an opinion.cs:Fakt da:Kendsgerning de:Tatsache eo:Fakto id:Fakta it:Fatto hu:Tény mk:Факт pl:Fakt ru:Факт simple:Fact sv:Faktum (sakförhållande)