A classmate tells you that a statement heard on the news about an environmental process noted in a local ecosystem cannot be true because it has not been scientifically proven. Given what you know about the nature of scientific reasoning, you realize that ____.
A) this classmate is misinformed because science cannot prove anything, but it can disprove events conclusively
B) this classmate is misinformed because science cannot prove or disprove anything absolutely
C) this classmate is misinformed because the environmental process in question actually has been proven scientifically
D) this classmate is correct
E) this classmate has confused scientific theories and scientific laws

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Scientific knowledge is always tentative and subject to revision in light of new evidence. Therefore, no scientific idea can ever be proven with absolute certainty. However, scientific knowledge is supported by a preponderance of evidence and is subject to continuous testing and refinement. Therefore, the absence of scientific proof does not necessarily mean that a statement about a process in an ecosystem is untrue, but it does indicate that more evidence and testing are needed to establish the validity of the claim.

A Classmate Tells You That a Statement Heard on the News