The Super Summary of World History - Alan Dale Daniel [59]
Many fields claim to be scientific, but they do not predict; and their “experiments” are not repeatable. History is not a science because a repeatable experiment is impossible in this field. The hard sciences (chemistry, physics et al) do allow repeatable experiments; however, in pseudoscience, nothing is repeatable. In science, contradictory data is acceptable, even if unexplained. In pseudoscience, contradictory data sinks out of sight so the theories remain intact.
Presented as science, evolution’s defenders claim the theory is proven; however, a theory is never proven, and the theories’ data cannot be subjected to repeatable experiments. Darwin admitted in his book (1859, The Origin of Species) the fossil proof of his theory was missing, but he said it would be found. Many critics say those fossils were never found, but supporters of the theory assert otherwise. Some argue the Theory of Evolution is merely a pathway to naturalism’s acceptance. Naturalism is the philosophy of explaining everything through nature; thus, eliminating a need for God. Those supporting Darwin object that it is science, not philosophy; nonetheless, few argue the impact of the theory on philosophy or the impact of naturalism on post-modernism.
The problem is fossil discovery is not a repeatable experiment. We must simply take the expert’s word for the meaning of the fossil. There are finds or discoveries in anthropology, but nothing comparable to a repeatable experiment with controlled samples. The data is subject to an enormous number of explanations, but experts in the field only allow explanations fitting the theory. Challenging or validating a theory is impossible if the data remains open to widely varying interpretations. This was all worked out during the Renaissance. Men who began the scientific movement clearly understood the repeatability of the experiments was the key to progress. With this insight, the world began to move forward with empirical knowledge, and set the foundation for the inestimable progress to come.
The Art of Oil Painting
Figure 16 Jan van Eyck, The Ancolfini Portrait, Mid 1400s
Art soared during the Renaissance. Discovering how to place perspective into paintings, making them especially lifelike, resulted in artwork never imagined before this era. The invention of oil paints and the perfection of painting on canvas, turned the art world onto new paths never before contemplated. Oil painting revolutionized color, enabling the artists to impart a stained-glass look to the painting. By applying color in thin glazes, the artists could achieve a glow from within the painting as the light passed through the various layers and bounced back through those same layers to the viewer’s eye. The names of the giants of Renaissance art: Jan van Eyck (1383 to 1440, Hans Holbein the Elder (1460 to 1524), Hans Holbein the Younger (1497 to 1543), Leonardo da Vinci (1452 to 1519), Albrecht Durer (1471 to 1528), Michelangelo (1475 to 1564), and many others, launched Western art on an unparalleled journey to excellence. For the rest of the time, all paintings will be measured against the masters of the Renaissance.
Music also began to become more complex and beautiful during the Renaissance. From about 1410 through 1600, music began to press forward. At least part of this advance was using the printing press to print sheet music. From 1470 on, the printing press was turning out sheet music. During this period, famous makers of musical instruments began to arise, for example: Stradivarius (violins) and Meuschel (trumpets). Baroque