Final answer:
Science gains reliability through repeated, consistent experimentation that adheres to the scientific method. The falsifiability and empirical evidence underpin scientific consensus, while nature’s responses to experiments serve as the ultimate judge.
Step-by-step explanation:
Science becomes reliable through repeated experimentation and consistent results. This process is fundamental to the scientific method, which involves the testing of hypotheses by executing repeatable experiments. The more an experiment is repeated with the same result, the stronger the validation of the findings becomes. Reliability in science is built upon evidence that other scientists can verify and upon experiments that yield the same outcomes when repeated, which provides a foundation for scientific consensus and trust.
The reliability of science does not solely rest on subjective opinions or public consensus; it is grounded in falsifiability and empirical evidence. Not all disciplines can apply the scientific method with the same level of repeatability, but even in these fields, scientific theories are developed based on observable evidence and are subjected to rigorous testing and refinement over time.
Ultimately, science is judged by what nature reveals through systematic observations, experiments, models, and tests that are transparent and open to scrutiny by the broader scientific community.