Matt Barnett
Biology Assignment #1
1/09/15
Lord Kelvin arguers about the minimum age of the earth and uses scientific data to try and
prove his theory. Kelvin’s scientific challenge, and the multiple meanings of uniformity
Impacted of the discovery of radioactivity on Kelvin’s arguments. Kelvin really didn’t go
wrong in his study he just didn’t have enough information to plug into his formula. With
not having enough information not only did he not get the years right, he was off by a lot.
So, by not having all the information he was unable to obtain an accurate estimate of how
old the earth is. Using the scientific method could of helped with that because it is a
powerful tool, but it does have its limitations. These limitations are that the hypothesis
must be testable and that experiments and observations be repeatable. If they turn out to be
repeatable they are robust. This places certain topics beyond the reach of the scientific
method, and yet if used properly, the scientific method is one of the most valuable tools
humans have ever created. It helps us solve everyday problems around the world and, at
the same time, helps us understand complex questions about the world in which we live.
Now to the last part of the question, is it better to use the proper investigation or deviate
from the accepted practice? I think you can make a case for both, deviating and going off
on a separate idea is basically trying to find a new solution. It’s always good to have new