The Universe—An Unscientific Concept

Abstract

The grand conception of a self-contained totality of phenomena, or “universe,” which is prominent in scientific writing, but which extends far beyond actual human contact with objective events, is inadequate as a theoretical construct and devoid of empirically verifiable consequences. It is inconsistent with inferences from the history of physical science about how theories might be generalized in the future and also incongruous with current knowledge of biological and psychological evolution. In particular, the insights of interbehavioral psychology cast doubt on the common belief that scientific research is progressing toward a final and completed system of natural laws. Both on an atomic and an astronomical scale of distances, it has been discovered repeatedly that apparently autonomous, isolated systems participate in interrelations with other events in more inclusive domains. There is no scientific support, theoretical or experimental, for the belief that this continuing trend eventually will terminate. Furthermore, uncritical acceptance of the existen ce of a “universe” can impede scientific progress, because it implicitly places limits on the kinds of inquiries that may be undertaken.