Milton Ponson 29 September 2023

The problem at the heart of this discussion is that science should be empirically testable. Yet mathematics does not require this. In mathematics hypotheses or theorems must be proven to be true or false. Only conjectures are open ended. But Godel et alii proved that no mathematical framework is complete and no mathematical framework can prove its own consistency.
With the advent of quantum physics the entire issue of science, empirical science to be precise, and it's testability has come under scrutiny. Big Bang theory, cosmology and the standard model of particle physics are now all buckling under the pressure of new empirical findings.
The problem, too often completely ignored, but described eloquently by both Western and Buddhist philosophers is that empirical science depends on observation, i.e. sensory input. And according to the Buddhist philosophy of the Madhyamaka Middle Way sense perception is flawed. According to Western philosophers observation, perception, knowledge representation, cognition and consciousness are all subject to discussion.
What we need is a new framework for science which captures mathematically the limitations of sense perception and observation. And which does away with the notion that everything should be empirically testable.