The importance of science is not in its infallibility but in its corrigibility.
Science and scientific thinking has revolutionised the way we live our life in this century and it will continue to shape the course of human civilization in the times to come.
The present corona virus pandemic and the manner in which vaccines and medicines are saving human lives will give more credence to it.
Every human strives to have more control over his own life and also has a deep desire to know the truth. Science helps us in both.
Science is based on a rigorous method and strives to be exact. It tries to find exact relationship between constituents and causes of events. Everyone will agree that when faced with new challenges, we all have to proceed with scientific methodology and advancements of the time.
It does not mean that science is infallible. It still has many more questions to answer and it has been proved wrong many a times.
But science has the ability and true scientists have humility to accept the wrong. Their beliefs are not blind and are based on a rationale. Once presented with evidence against their own long lasting viewpoint, a scientist will always agree to look into it and make the correction.
Take the example of present pandemic.
The virus causing covid was detected when doctors noted a different type of pneumonia in the X-rays and CT scans. The disease involved peripheral lungs initially with ground glass opacities unlike hitherto known types of pneumonia. The cause was soon found to be novel corona virus. New and easier tests were made to detect the virus and disease from already known techniques. Experimental treatments were explored. These experimental drugs had known antiviral properties and were safe to use. Steroids were found to be most effective after many randomised and meta analytical trials. Many drugs like Hydroxychoroquine were later discarded when trial showed they had very little impact. Plasma therapy has also been discarded recently due to lack of treatment benefit.
Science is evidence based and if given evidence against a known theory, it will be ready to discard it. If tommorrow we come to know that a particular treatment is not effective or having side effects, it will be immediately discarded and course corrections will be made. For example, even steroid therapy need to be rationalised in covid to prevent mucormycosis.
Newer drugs have also been tried but most importantly effective vaccines were made available within a span of one year.
Research into more effective drugs and vaccines will continue to go on and many course corrections will be made.
Science believes that nature is not capacious but systematic and logical. Science is methodical and hence more likely to find a solution to the mysteries of nature. A sincere and determined effort to discover its principles will always bear fruits. Scientific method will therefore remain valid for many more future challenges to come.
No doubt, serendipity is possible and God may be helping us at critical junctures, but a discovery after sustained effort always gives better results because it is based on a definitive understanding of the principles involved. Even God would like us to become more self sufficient and knowledgeable. “Remember self help is the best help,” God would teach us from within.
We as humans are free to believe in an infallible God but we will have to depend and accept science because of its humility to accept failures and for its powers of corrigibility.