Looking at the question of whether bees move eggs, I think it is more a
question of whether we can conclusively observe bees moving eggs and
predict it and maybe the circumstances, not whether they can and do. I
am quite certain that somewhere, some time, some bee has moved at least
one egg.
Does it really matter, and if so, why? (I know, inquiring minds need to
know, but that's all?)
Nothing is ever open and shut. We deal in degrees of certainty, and
even those are open to question.
Some phenomena are reproducible, some are not. (Don't ask me to prove
that. I can't. Prove instead that I am wrong.)
In science, we try to reproduce previous work and if we can, each
success allows us increased confidence to generalize and act on the
original conclusions over the limited confidence one study provides.
Increased numbers of agreeing observations further increase that
confidence. For the time being.
Failure to reproduce, however does not disqualify an observation, but
merely decreases confidence that a.) the original was valid, b.) that
the conclusions can be generalized, and c.) that all contributing
factors are considered. (Something is missing).
If an observation cannot be reproduced it either was mistaken,
fraudulent, or an unique occurrence and the conditions surrounding it
either were not completely understood and reported (they never can be)
and some critical aspect was not included in subsequent attempts.
As my chem lab supervisor said about writing complete reports: "Was the
lab door open, or closed at the time? That can matter."
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