Li Yu looked at the audience. In fact, what he was talking about was a philosophical issue about science. However, people at that time obviously did not think deeply about the essence of the word "science" itself.

Even Madame Curie raised her chin and started thinking when she heard this question.

Someone in the audience replied: "You just said that science is about exploring the nature of the world."

Li Yu said: "What you said is not wrong, but what I want to ask now is the nature of "science" itself, rather than using science to study the nature of the world."

"The nature of science?"

Many students in the audience began to whisper among themselves.

In this era, the philosophy of science is simply a research direction that has not yet been born, and what Li Yu is talking about is a theory that will only appear decades later.

Li Yu paused for a while and said: "Whether you or I are facing doubts, I hope everyone understands what I am going to say today. That is, science must be falsifiable!"

As soon as these words came out, the audience was instantly confused.

"Falsifiable? Have you ever heard of this term?"

"Are we in a philosophy class?"

"Totally incomprehensible!"

Only Madame Curie's eyes flashed. She had extremely high academic skills and had been engaged in cutting-edge scientific research for many years. She seemed to have figured out some tricks. She raised her hand and asked: "Can you give me an example to explain?"

The first person to ask a question was surprisingly Madame Curie.

Li Yu continued: "The so-called falsifiable means that it can be proven to be wrong. It must be noted that it is 'can be proven to be wrong'. These words are very important. For example, some people once said that earthquakes were Because the earth is flat, there are four elephants standing at the four corners. One of the elephants felt tired, raised one foot and shook it, and the earth shook. Do you think this is science?"

Many students laughed directly: "It's just nonsense!"

Li Yu also laughed: "Yes, that's right, this is nonsense! But it is a scientific theory, but it is just a wrong theory."

Another explosion broke out below: "Science, this is science? What a joke!"

Li Yu raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet and let him continue: "The reason is very simple, because this theory can be falsified. Hundreds of years ago, Magellan circled the earth and discovered that the earth is not flat, but a ball, which directly proved the theory It is wrong. And this is falsifiable, which means it can be proven to be wrong."

The audience fell silent, and everyone was listening to Li Yu continue to speak. What he said was so novel, and the principal Greal next to him became more and more novel as he listened.

Li Yu continued: "Let me ask you, if I say again that earthquakes are caused by God sneezing, do you think this is science?"

The students then said: "What you asked is too simple. Of course it is not science. It is also nonsense!"

Li Yu gave a thumbs up, "Excellent! You are right! But they are all nonsense. Why is the elephant's statement just now scientific, but God's statement is not science? It is because science can be falsified, and science is There are right and wrong things. We can prove which ones are wrong and then use the correct ones. But do you think there is a way to prove that God is wrong? No! So this is not science!

"Or if you go to pray to God and wish you to pass the exam, but then you fail, others can say that your heart is not sincere and you have not moved the gods, but how can you be sincere? The right to explain is completely false. Likewise, this

It's also pseudoscience.

"So I said, if it is just a theory that can be proven to be correct or not, even a beggar on the street can tell you a lot, but it is not science!

"Only a theory that must have some method to prove whether it is wrong is a scientific theory!"

Li Yu's explanation is very easy to understand, but the truth is extremely profound.

This is the famous Popper's scientific philosophy thought in later generations. Speaking of it in this era that is about to completely get rid of ignorance is nothing less than a bolt from the blue and thunder on the ground!

Madame Curie took the lead in stretching out her hands and applauded, and then the whole auditorium burst into long-lasting applause.
Chapter completed!