There is gravity, the actual effect we see every day all around us. Gravity is a real thing, it exists.
Then there’s the law of gravity, this is a math formula you can use to predict the effect gravity has on things. There’s multiple variations of this one, think Newton and Einstein. For almost everything the Newton version works just fine.
Then there’s the theory of gravity, this is our attempt to explain why gravity exists and why it does the things it does. This is the tricky one we don’t really have a grip on.
By mixing these things it is often portrayed that “scientists” don’t know anything, they don’t even understand something as simple as gravity.
In addition, the word “theory” has a well known definition in the world of science. It also has a layman’s definition. Those two things are completely separate.
I made a comment the other day saying pretty much the same thing about “respect” and “tolerance”. All three have multiple definitions that certain types of people, knowingly or unknowingly, use to their advantage to push an agenda. Generally the types of people I’m talking about are either evil (doing it purposefully) or very stupid (parroting others because they have no argument on their own) and in all cases they’re being shitty and think it means they win.
I assume the “almost everything” is relative to the things people need to calculate gravity for. Astrophysics is cool, but rather the minority compared to, say, calculating the forces a bridge has to withstand or the arc of a ballistic projectile or any other calculations concerning primarily things on our planet.
People always confuse multiple things.
There is gravity, the actual effect we see every day all around us. Gravity is a real thing, it exists. Then there’s the law of gravity, this is a math formula you can use to predict the effect gravity has on things. There’s multiple variations of this one, think Newton and Einstein. For almost everything the Newton version works just fine. Then there’s the theory of gravity, this is our attempt to explain why gravity exists and why it does the things it does. This is the tricky one we don’t really have a grip on.
By mixing these things it is often portrayed that “scientists” don’t know anything, they don’t even understand something as simple as gravity.
In addition, the word “theory” has a well known definition in the world of science. It also has a layman’s definition. Those two things are completely separate.
Yes very good point!
“That’s just a theory, a game theory!” won’t fly on your PhD defense.
I made a comment the other day saying pretty much the same thing about “respect” and “tolerance”. All three have multiple definitions that certain types of people, knowingly or unknowingly, use to their advantage to push an agenda. Generally the types of people I’m talking about are either evil (doing it purposefully) or very stupid (parroting others because they have no argument on their own) and in all cases they’re being shitty and think it means they win.
Oh they know. Changing definitions is textbook propaganda.
We still don’t know how it happens. Only why.
And Newton’s formula doesn’t work for the solar system. And later ones not for galaxies (hence Dark
MatterUnicorn).I assume the “almost everything” is relative to the things people need to calculate gravity for. Astrophysics is cool, but rather the minority compared to, say, calculating the forces a bridge has to withstand or the arc of a ballistic projectile or any other calculations concerning primarily things on our planet.