Why is science just a starting point and not an end point?

The idea that science is either a starting point, or an ending point is misguided.  Science is a tool for us to organize our thoughts and derive models to help explain the universe we live in.

You observe something, you make hypothesis, you try them out and see if they work. 

Science is not metrics.  It is not quality assurance. It is the process that very much includes human experience, explains some of it, and then looks for the next opportunity to enhance our understanding.

It is neither supreme to nor independent of human experience. 

To everyone who thinks measurements for audio gear which were widely adopted over 50 years ago equals science, that there is your problem.  Science generated those measurements, but it does not say that should be their end point, the last measurements for all time.

The fields of room acoustics and head related transfer functions IMHO show just how much more there was left after that. I believe that the field of audio equipment measurement and explanation is still pregnant with opportunity for science to continue expanding  and for that expansion to reach the hobby press, but it has not happened yet.

Those measurements, codified half a century ago are not the start and end of audio science.  Those who apply them as the only standard of quality are not scientists. They are technicians.

Science is a methodology that allows you to detect patterns in data. 

Once the patterns are validated and determined useful, then the science gets applied. Engineers trained to apply science to solve problems do that.  Then others benefit from the fruit of their labors.

That's how it works.  Plain and simple

Let's take a trip back to 7th grade... the scientific method is:

• Make an observation.
• Ask a question.
• Form a hypothesis, or testable explanation.
• Make a prediction based on the hypothesis.
• Test the prediction.
• Iterate: use the results to make new hypotheses or predictions

Science cannot take a look through a telescope or have a bias opinion or distort facts to prove false theories.  Those are human activities. 

In term of sound, you can test for distortion, frequency response, rolloff, stored energy, and many other things that can indicate you have a problem.  The missing elements are time and perception or space between the sound that isn't measurable.   

So... to me science isn't letting you down it's your expectation of science.  

"science isn't letting you down it's your expectation of science"
+1

"science isn't letting you down it's your expectation of science"

Surely science should be able to show where sound is being corrupted or deviating from a source? Science cannot predict how humans perceive sound, but it should be able to measure the performance of equipment!