What are formal facts in nature?
Q: Gemini. what are formal facts in nature?
A: Formal facts in nature are empirically verified, objective truths about the natural world, encompassing biological, geological, and environmental phenomena. Key examples include that birds are direct descendants of dinosaurs, there are over 3 trillion trees on Earth, and that tropical rainforests cover less than 3% of the planet yet house over 50% of terrestrial species. Key examples of established natural facts include:
Biological Phenomena: Bees communicate location via dance, and bamboo can grow 35 inches in a single day. Some animals, such as epaulette sharks, can walk on land, while others, like the hihi bird, have unique mating habits.
Environmental & Geological Truths: Coral reefs are the largest living structures, and the Earth's magnetic pole is moving westward. Furthermore, tropical rainforests play a crucial role in regulating global temperatures.
Physical Realities: There are more trees on Earth than stars in the Milky Way, with an estimated 3 trillion trees compared to 100–400 billion stars.
Animal Characteristics: Wombats produce cube-shaped poop, and the legs of water striders can support 15 times their weight.
These facts are considered "formal" or "factual" because they are documented, evidence-based, and verifiable through scientific observation.
Q: What other kind of facts are there?
Beyond the formal facts found in nature, facts are generally categorized by how they are proven or the domain they describe. Philosophers and scientists often distinguish between empirical, conceptual, and normative facts.
Here are the primary types of facts:
Empirical Facts: These are truths known through observation or sensory experience. They describe the state of the world as it is. Example: Tokyo’s average annual rainfall is 1,530 millimeters. Example: A heart beats an average of 100,000 times per day.
Conceptual (Analytic) Facts: These are true by definition or logical reasoning alone; you don't need to observe the world to verify them. Example: All even numbers are divisible by two. Example: A bachelor is an unmarried man.
Historical Facts: These are based on recorded evidence and past events. Example: The Anglo-Zanzibar War of 1896 lasted only 38 minutes. Example: Hawaiian pizza was actually invented in Canada.
Normative Facts: These concern what should be the case rather than what is. They are often based on ethics, laws, or social values. Example: Humans should protect the ecosystems they depend on. Example: Stealing is legally and morally prohibited in most societies.
Brute Facts: These are observable states or occurrences that currently have no accepted scientific explanation. Example: The specific reason why the universe began with the Big Bang (the "why" behind the starting conditions).
Social (Consensus) Facts: These are true because a society collectively agrees they are true. Example: Paper money has value. Example: France is the most-visited country in the world.