Truth and Science

When we watch the sun rise in the west, move across the sky, and set in the west, what do our senses tell us? The sun makes a semi-circle around the earth, which appears motionless. Why, then, do we believe the earth rotates around the sun? Since we know the earth rotates on its axis and is, therefore, spherical, why would we once have believed it to be flat – to have ends? On the other hand, how could those who knew nothing of gravity have imagined people living upside down? What our senses perceive is not necessarily what we believe. Conversely, what we believe is not necessarily what we see. This course examines the relationship between truth and science, enabling us, through a review of the history of science, to distinguish between theory, belief, and knowledge – and to explore the nature of reality.

Estimated average course time for completion of this course: 3 weeks