1. "We are rarely completely certain, but we are frequently certain enough." Discuss this statement with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Key Terms

Rarely completely certain

AOKs

certain

Natural Sciences

TEMPORARY: Rutherford model worked for certain applications even before being replaced by the Bohr model

Frequently certain enough

having no doubt or knowing exactly that something is true, or known to be true, correct, exact, or effective

able to be firmly relied on to happen or be the case

Religion

Religions aim to provide certainty to believers

Quotes

"I know that I know nothing."

Potential Discussion Points

Contrast between approaches of Religious Knowledge Systems and the Scientific Method - how they have clashed / interacted over the years.

History

Historical records => Truth / Reliability

We know that a Greek guy name Thucydides who wrote a book / history - considered to be the 'first serious historian' in the West

Ancient records are lost

Decay VS Preservation

Lacking written records

Are we certain "enough"?

What do we need to be certain for?

What does it mean by "enough"?

Human Sciences

Health (Medical) Knowledge - How certain must we be before carrying out a dangerous operation?

Can we carry out an operation to remove a brain tumor that we are not sure is cancerous?

Being certain enough to be relied on / applied / used?

Certainty VS Risk

When can we be certain enough to justify the risk?

"’Tis impossible to be sure of any thing but Death and Taxes" - The Cobbler of Preston by Christopher Bullock

WOKs

Mathematics

Enough to apply?

Enough to claim that I "know"?

"Pure" VS "Applied" Science

Sense Perception

Intuition

Reason

Faith

COVID-19

PROOFS

AXIOMS

PARADOXES

Requirements for Certainty:

A set of rules of proof with which to derive truths

A guarantee that the rules of proof are adequate to establish all truths (completeness)

A set of true axioms or postulates as the foundation for reasoning

A guarantee that the rules of proof are safe in warranting only truths (consistency)

Relative certainty