Originally Posted by abaya

There is Truth in the world. Either something does or does not happen, regardless of how anyone or thing perceived it. E.g. if a tree falls... well, I have no idea if it makes a sound or whether that's related to anyone being around to hear it... BUT, the point is that IT FELL.

Of course, that's pretty simplistic... but even with more complex situations, any kind of hypothesis testing is meant to find out the Truth (at least in the physical world), with as little bias from flawed tools/humans as possible. Science has its limits... it can only approximate the Truth that it seeks, but as long as its methodology is on track, then it can only continue approaching the Truth.

I see it a bit like an asymptote constantly approaches the axes of a graph... always getting closer, but never touching. The asymptote cannot exist without bounds to constrain it... hence the absolute. Science cannot do what it does without a reality, an absolute, to constrain it... even if it never reaches it fully.

(Where the hell is Pigglet, I am finally getting around to his question!!)