Final answer:
Faith-based beliefs and scientific theories can coexist, with the former based on spiritual conviction and the latter grounded in empirical evidence. Scientific theories, unlike guesses, can change with new evidence but are judged based on their ability to accurately explain observations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question at hand explores the relationship between faith-based beliefs and scientific theories. Option 2) 'Faith-based beliefs and scientific theories can coexist' is true regarding the relationship between the two. While faith-based beliefs are rooted in spiritual conviction and personal or communal belief systems, scientific theories are developed through systematic methodologies involving observations, experimentation, and evidence-gathering.
Scientific theories are well-substantiated explanations of natural phenomena, not simply guesses. They are unlikely to change but can be modified in light of new, compelling evidence. A theory's validity is determined by its ability to consistently explain experimental observations satisfactorily and is judged on objective observations. Scientific theories can describe the same observations as faith-based beliefs but do so within a defined, systematic framework for understanding the natural world.
In contrast, faith-based claims are not typically subject to empirical testing or verification in the same way that scientific theories are, making them subjective in nature. As such, the reliability and acceptability of scientific theories are evaluated differently from faith-based beliefs, with the former being subject to consistent and repeatable empirical scrutiny.