It is a wise mother who gives that advice, lol.There is nothing wrong with speculations, so long as we are able to maintain some perspective as to what is speculation and what is "known".
The way we accumulate knowledge from generation to generation, what was once considered an 'a priori' fact, true on its own merit, often attains the status of a "proven" fact over time. Not through the additions of proof but through time itself. What we tell ourselves over time, comes to be what we believe. This is the nature of the human condition. It is the basis and power of ideological philosophies the world over. It is why your mother told you never argue politics or religion. And to an ever increasing extent today the same applies to a great deal of theoretical physics.
However, I am the originator of the cult of tentativeness, and no amount of time can change the invariant laws of nature. They are not impressed by the duration of an unflasified theory. Even a theory over 100 years old could be shown to be in error (not necessarily referencing the latest flap, lol).
Smolin said:“ The Trouble With Physics, Lee Smolin
"...we are masters at drawing conclusions from incomplete information.". ”
So true.OM said:Perhaps not always knowing that the information is incomplete!