Good scientists are happy to admit they don't have the Truth, just successively better models. Any good scientist would LOVE to come up with a new model that overturns the current one and explains more about how things work.
Religions start off on the basis they know the Truth. Generally speaking if a priest comes up with a better form of Truth, they have to go found their own church (nailing bits of paper to the door of the previous church optional). The old church continues with the current dogma, since it IS the Truth.
Of course, scientists, being human, get attached to their models and often resist having them overturned. Einstein never did like quantum physics.
You also get scientists who are humanly greedy or criminal, and try and pervert the checks and balances for money or fame. Eventually they get found, because no-one can replicate the work. However they've probably already pocketed the research grants or lobbying money, but at least their model gets thrown out, and in the long term that's what matters. |
