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Chapter 1: Problem 4

Describe several ways in which a scientific law differs from a legislative law.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Scientific laws are universal, based on repeated observation and experimentation, and always hold true under the same conditions. They do not change over time unless new empirical evidence is discovered. Legislative laws, on the other hand, are created by humans for political and societal order, vary by country, state, city etc, can be challenged in a court, and can change over time.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding scientific law

Scientific law often refers to a statement, based on repeated experimental observations, that describes some aspect of the world. It is universally applicable, it can be mathematically described, it is always true(depending on the scientific discipline the term might be used slightly differently, but this is the broad gist of it).
02

Understanding legislative law

Legislative law, on the other hand, refers to the system of laws that have been created and approved by legislating bodies such as the congress or parliament, and then enforced by the government. These laws are created by human beings and are specific to geographical locations, and they can change over time. They are not predicated on tested hypotheses and they can be disobeyed, albeit with consequences.
03

Comparison and contrast of scientific and legislative laws

From these understandings, scientific laws and legislative laws can be compared and contrasted. A scientific law, based on repeated observation and experimentation, is universally applicable around the globe and is generally viewed the same way by all scientists regardless of geographical location. Legislative laws, however, are not universal but are applicable only in the political jurisdiction in which they were enacted. The validity of scientific laws cannot be challenged unless new empirical evidence is discovered, whereas legislative laws can be challenged in court. Likewise, legislative laws can be changed, amended, or replaced by new ones by the legislating body, unlike scientific laws.

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