Can we scientifically prove the past and future ?

The term science has been broadened to mean anything that is being studied . We need to clarify what science really means if we want to get past generalizations. The scientific method proves ideas with real time tests. Sometimes an idea may sound like it is plausible, but when tests are run, the anticipated results don't occur. A real scientist will try another idea until he finds something that consistently works. An idea remains a speculation when there is no way to observe it in action, therefore the past and future are confined to history and speculation and cannot be scientifically proved.

What is the difference between speculation and fiction? A speculator has convinced himself that his idea is so plausible it must be fact and that his inability to prove it doesn't matter. A fiction writer knows he isn't dealing in facts and has nothing to prove. A speculator will insert bits of facts and science into his broad unprovable assumption hoping to make it look credible and justify his faith. Much of what is being called science today is simple minded speculation based in ideals rather than method.

We can scientifically examine a bowl of Cheerios as an example. The milk will contain detectable amounts of cheerio material in it. If we were to drop something into the milk, we would observe that perfect rings are formed. Based on this evidence we could conclude that Cheerios formed themselves out of the milk. The observations are scientific but the conclusion is speculation.                                        

It is important to ask why.

What causes complacency? How does one's mind grow old? How can smart people become decieved? The answer is simple. They quit asking why. A questioning mind is a healthy mind. I'm not talking about turning everything into conspiracies or becoming cynical. We should always have honest questions based in respect and awe. Never quit questioning. Never take anyone's word as gospel.

This is the reason I post and comment on blogs. The internet has opened things up for dialog, giving access to both like and unlike minded people. We don't have to send a letter by horse to correspond like those in the past, but we can in real time make comments and verify our information with others. 

 It is much easier to just comment on current events. Evoking passion keeps even simple minded subjects interesting. It is entertaining to debate using generalizations about things even when we don't know the real details.Passion based debate rather than logic isn't profitable for our minds. Ever notice how practices that were bad under one administration aren't worthy of mention when the preferred guy or party is in office? That is why I like discussing subjects according to principles and reason. A bit less excitement, but it builds a long term foundation of examination rather than accepting things blindly.

Curiosity is synonymous with youth. And every question answered should open the door for many more. This doesn't mean you can never know anything as the cynical anti-knowledge people say. It means that the more you know the more possibilities there are. New questions open up new directions in the same way that traveling reveals more roads to take. Are you up to it?