Empirical limits in science

In philosophy of science the empirical limits of science define problems with observation, and thus are limits of human ability to inquire and answer questions about phenomena. These include topics such as infinity, the future and god. In the 20th century several of these were well-documented or proposed in physics:

• The Planck length - actually a limit on distance itself.
• The Schrödinger's cat paradox.
• The Heisenberg uncertainty principle.
• The theorized event horizon of a black hole in special relativity.

The incompleteness theorem which limits the consistency or completeness of formal systems is a related concern of the philosophy of mathematics. It does not directly relate to inquiry, however, only to deductive proof in formal systems.

The greatest empirical limit on science, however, is the fact that the nature of consciousness, perception and awareness remain mysterious in the context of the Western world-view. Lacking an understanding of the mechanics by which content and meaning enter awareness, any specific content in awareness, scientific or otherwise, ultimately floats unanchored in a psychological jungle of relativism .

See also

• Inquiry
• Pragmatic maxim