Logical proofs: Empirical evidence for constant gravity in the past and future

[Xerus]

Hello everyone. I'm a first time poster, but a long time lurker. I don't have a degree in physics, but I have always held the discipline and all its branches, near to my heart.

A little background on the question. I got into an argument with a friend of mine about faith in religion and faith in science. He argues the following:

They are not vastly different. Each is the belief in something that cannot be empirically proven. Watching a hammer fall a billion times tells you nothing except that a hammer fell a billion times. If you want to make claims about what will happen the next time you drop a hammer you must put faith in a premise which cannot be empirically proven.

I brought up gravity and it being a constant across space and time in order for our universe to be in the condition it is today.

Here is a logical proof for knowing that gravity will be -9.8 m/s^2 tomorrow.

1. In the past gravity has always been -9.8 m/s^2
2. The future will resemble the past

Therefore

3. In the future gravity will be -9.8 m/s^2

Premise 2 cannot be proven empirically without the above argument becoming circular

I think I may have backed myself into a corner. I know there is a way around what he is saying, but I just can't come up with it! Logic has never been one of my strong points

Any help?

 

[Evo]

This thread does not meet the minimum requirements to post in this section. Please be sure to read both sets of rules stickied at the top of the Philosphy forum. Rules must be followed when posting.

Tell your friend he doesn't know what science is and leave it at that. Arguing with someone that has such a basic misunderstanding of science is a waste of time.