hmmm... i think science is the most misunderstood concept of all. there is a good definition two post above.
As an engineer i hate theories. im only concerned with empirical sciences, things that work! Having studied them throughout my life i can conclude that there are NO FACTS in science except for the actual observations. Empirical sciences use models to simulate observed physical, chemical and biological phenomena.
for eg. apple falls from the tree and hits the ground. - a physical phenomena.
there are several models available to simulate this behavior, such as the inverse square law of gravitational and f=ma. However, this model fails to explain many other observations so now we have the most accepted model for the universe that's 3 dimensions of space and 1 dimension of time and the force of gravity is understood to be caused by space time curvature. (marble-cloth analogy)
what is the guarantee that tomorrow some fresh observations would nullify the current models?
The point is that the model itself is not fact! As long as it can explain all give observations it is taken to be fact and 'preached' as such. And that's the unfortunate thing about science today!
Here is basically how empirical science work
1) observe something
2) theorize a model
3) make testable predictions with the model
4) keep tweaking the model until you match or get close enough with predictions of the model and observations.
5) goto 4 for new observations, if unsuccessful goto 2.
where exactly are the facts apart from step 1???
obviously most phenomena are way too complex for the human mind so we break it down to small pieces and create models for each division. So for example we can have have different models describing the same system observed at different physical conditions!!! (thermodynamics anyone
)
furthermore, since models old and new models are accurate enough, there are many models being used for the same phenomena.
for eg f=ma can model most observable moving bodies and we use it extensively even though mass and energy equivalence has already been established from observation.
This reiterates my point that science is just a working model for simulating observed phenomena and has little to do with seeking truth. So if you believe that matter is made of balls with smaller ball inside and some more round things rotating around then you might as well give up. There are so many different models of the atom and nucleus that i cant even recall them whole lot. the latest being the quantum physical model in which you cannot even derive the speed and position of the electron simultaneously! so good bye revolving balls
empirical science and empiricism itself shall always remain a perception of the truth but not whole truth. that is the inherent limitation of inductive reasoning and empiricism in general. With each observation we get closer to facts. Hopefully we will know the truth (if there is one) someday although theoretically speaking that will require infinitely accurate infinite many observations. I think science should be seen as it once was, for what it is worth; a model for simulating and forecasting observable phenomena rather than a source for truth (even though it obviously does contain some element of truth in it - the observations).
However, that doesnt undermine the usefulness of science. Since scientific models can make accurate enough predictions, we no longer toss a coin to check if it will rain or not, instead we check the whether report. And we have so many other inventions making use of the models WE have developed. However, even though weather reports are very accurate, it doesn't mean that the physics behind the weather model is fact/truth!!!
Not for me anyway!
Now coming back to religion and God, most God(s) described in the various religions are unobservable so that their existence can be neither proved nor disproved through science or empirical observation. It is the same as how science can not prove or disprove that when i open the door there will be a floor present on the other side. it is just foolish to to use science to prove or disprove these things.
However, what can be done to check the accuracy/authenticity of religions is a good old statistical analysis based on deductive reasoning (opposite of inductive) with the assumption that The God is All-knowing. If a religious text or belief system makes testable predictions and revelations with an accuracy somewhere between that of a weather report and that of the toss of an unbiased coin, i think there is enough reason to believe the non-testable aspects of it (such as God, heaven and hell). This is similar to how we all believe that on 25th November 2011 the sun will rise from the east, based on the previous accurate predictions of our scientific model. It is reasonable faith! obviously one should keep searching for a more accurate religion until you reach 100% or close to that.