The Mythos of Science

Myth is nothing more than a story. Point in fact, that is exactly what the word myth means : story. Stories are created to explain the whats, whys, hows, wheres, and whens. Science is nothing more than a set of myths, or, more properly called today, "theories" that try to tell the story of the whats and hows.

Scientific theories are always base on observations and they are created in order to fit certain natural phenomena. The Ptolemaic Universe model was based on a geocentric universe, and was not created out of whim or egocentricity. The earth was observed as a large heavy body, and by observation the larger the body the more difficult it is to move. Mountains are harder to move than stones, and mountains sit on the earth, so the earth could be viewed as immovable. But the sun looks light and mobile and arcs across the sky-dome. Therefore, based on observation the hypothesis/myth was put forth that the sun revolves around the earth.

I am aware of the rebuttal to this : "Well, what would it have looked like if the earth was rotating?" Certainly it would have looked the same as the sun revolving about the earth, but logic alone this did not fit. The only thing that gave problems to Ptolemaic Universe is the planets. But note, the geocentric universe was a necessary step towards the current model of the universe.

If anything, science comes off very mythic; as mythic as, say the Judaic "proof-it's-there theory" in the creation story. Current theories in physics, particularly M Theory is just as bizarre. M Theory makes the hypothesis that the universe is a holographic 7th dimensional object on a 10th dimensional membrane (or "brane") amongst an infinite number of other universes. Universes are created by the collision of branes. These branes are made up of strings, which are the most fundamental building blocks of all matter, ether, and energy.

Sound strange? Sure it does if you're not a physicist (or even if you are physicist). But thus far, according to the mathematics and certain observations in the fields of cosmology and quantum mechanics, M Theory works.

Science is our myth today, and there is no doubt about that. Science is our understanding of "where did I come from and why and I here?" I certainly believe Stephen Hawkings is right when he claimed that our theories in science today may seem as ridiculous in 4000 years as the talking snake in the garden is ridiculous to us today.