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Will the Future of Science Lead to Simplicity or Complexity in Knowledge?

In summary, the future of science may lead to both simplicity and complexity in knowledge, depending on how advancements are integrated and understood. As scientific fields evolve, they can either streamline understanding through unifying theories and interdisciplinary approaches or complicate it with increasingly specialized knowledge and intricate systems. The balance between these outcomes will shape our comprehension of the universe and influence how scientific information is communicated and applied in society.
  • #1
Falcon39
I was wondering... As time goes on will our knowledge of physics become more simple or complex? At the present, science (especially astrophysics and quantum mechanics) are getting more complex everyday (Dimensions, strings, more and more particles to name a few). Will Science become very simple or is it infinitley complex in the future? My prediction is that it is like a bell curve on a graph. at the start of the human race very little was known and considered simple (like religion and mythology, it answered everything that happened on earth). as we learned more it goes up the curve. I believe we are still going up and probably have a long way to reach the turning point. Put when we know enough we will eventually be able to make everything simpler and take the road downill. (theory of everyhting comes to mind). What do you think? is potential scientific knowledge infinetly complex? or would we eventually be able to make everything simple
 
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  • #2
Its like this. We evolved in a certain environment. Our brains evolved to help us survive and reproduce in that environment.The first things we learn will obviously be about this environment and they will seem simpler because our brains are ideally developed to understand those things. As we move further and further away from this environment, the more complicated things will seem.IMO, our brain may be incapable of even understanding (let alone finding out and answering) many so-called ultimate questions due to this evolutionary limitation. I dont know if genetic engineering will help here but I sure hope so !Anyway what we can and do understand is enough to occupy us for a long long time.- Sivakami.*************************************************************"Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people." - Admiral H. G. Rickover
 
  • #3
I think that most scientific theories can be boiled down to simple forms over time. The thing about it is that you have to get most of the picture in your head before you can find the basic patterns. A jigsaw puzzle looks very complex, but teh further you go, the more the pattern emerges, and the simpler it is to fill in the rest. There are usually a few snags along the way, and sometimes you cannot find all the pieces, but there is usually enough there for you to then make it simple: "its a dog!" (or whatever the picture on the puzzle is)"...though they'll never fathom it, behind my sarcasm, deperate memories lie..."R. Waters
 
  • #4
quote:Originally posted by Zero:I think that most scientific theories can be boiled down to simple forms over time. The thing about it is that you have to get most of the picture in your head before you can find the basic patterns. A jigsaw puzzle looks very complex, but teh further you go, the more the pattern emerges, and the simpler it is to fill in the rest. There are usually a few snags along the way, and sometimes you cannot find all the pieces, but there is usually enough there for you to then make it simple: "its a dog!" (or whatever the picture on the puzzle is)Thats true .. but we should also not forget that we're now entering into realms our brains are probably not equipped for. That could be a serious limitation, IMO.- Sivakami.*************************************************************"Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people." - Admiral H. G. Rickover
 
  • #5
I wonder if there really will be a perceptual problem or not...but then again, that would be a blind spot for my mind too! I know we are already to the point where mathematical descriptions of reality are almost impossible to describe in words. I don't see that situation getting any better. I don't know if we will hit a wall as far as what our brains can comprehend. I do think that we will get past any problems, and hopefully without having to resort to genetic manipulation"...though they'll never fathom it, behind my sarcasm, deperate memories lie..."R. Waters
 
  • #6
quote:Originally posted by Zero:I do think that we will get past any problems, and hopefully without having to resort to genetic manipulationI dont know how you can be so sure of that.BTW genetic mutation will not help here because unless we have a perfect/absolute frame of reference to compare against, we dont know what to modify !- Sivakami.*************************************************************"Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people." - Admiral H. G. Rickover
 
  • #7
quote:Originally posted by ssivakami:IMO, our brain may be incapable of even understanding (let alone finding out and answering) many so-called ultimate questions due to this evolutionary limitation. I dont know if genetic engineering will help here but I sure hope so !Anyway what we can and do understand is enough to occupy us for a long long time.- Sivakami.i agree siv...and i believe too that with having this attitude that it will enable humankind to understand and discover more rather than having an attitude of "knowing it all" which will shut the door and limit us even more so...Well behaved women rarely make history.
 

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