History and Science

These two things are not the same.  Paleontologists may call themselves scientists, but since they can't do an experiment to verify a theory of some species’ history (i.e. grow a population under controlled conditions, create fossils with that population, and compare the experimental result fossils with the originals, and then repeat the experiment several times to verify that yes, the theory is correct), I don't consider what they do "science".

Real scientists explore, think, theorize, and verify.

My younger brother is visiting for a few days, so I've enjoyed sitting on the porch at night watching the trees grow and discussing the history of the world.  We discuss the good/bad/ugly of modern society from a cultural and historical perspective.  One of the most interesting things to discuss is family history, as each member grows up and retains a different perspective and/or chooses what to remember and forget over time.  Actually it's even more interesting than that - each of us interjects things into our memory over time that actually never happened. 

My brother is like a walking encyclopedia and uses his ability to site thousands of references convincingly and from memory to debate/present his theories of all kinds of things. I find it fascinating to dissect these theories, trying to figure out where they came from and what influences have shaped them, and then at some level evaluate their merit - I use a far different evaluation metric than "is it true."  I believe that knowledge is benign unless it provides some present and/or future benefit.  Some knowledge (even truth) is actually harmful, and in my opinion should be relegated to irrelevant - i.e. on the list of things I won't even remember five years from now.  That's a formula for happy living - a philosophical decision I choose to make/to blissfully ignore things that would otherwise dampen happiness and concentrate on the positive things that have the potential to be a blessing.

Here's a short example:
What is the truth:  I'm going to be summarily fired in a year or two after twenty five years with the same company, scorned for being old, outdated, and unmanageable.

What I choose to believe: In a year or two I'm going to have the opportunity of a life time - the opportunity to move from helping thousands to helping tens of thousands of people.

What's the difference?  In the case of what I believe, and have believed for several years, I've been studying harder than when I was in college.  I've expanded my horizons in useful knowledge, abilities, and tools (both in creating better tools of my own and in learning how to use others).
What's the outcome?  I'm happy, excited, and a little scared (like in college wondering what my career would be like); these bags need to be packed when the time comes - opportunity is like a bus and when it stops to pick you up, you can't get on unless you have the fare and are ready to travel.
Q.E.D.