Difference between revisions of "Scientific method"

Revision as of 17:34, 30 January 2007

The scientific method

• Observations are made of certain phenomena.
• Facts are established.
• Patterns are looked for in data/observation.
• Scientific principles are established, consistent with all of the evidence.
• Predictions may be made based on the principles established.
• Experiments are done to test the scientific principle.
• Principle is refined/rejected depending on new observations.

Remember Trust nothing, test everything

• Never cover up flaws in your theory, expose them instead.
• Always be honest, most importantly be honest to yourself.

Theory

• A good theory is a consistent model that is built on simple undisputable facts.

Hypothesis

• A hypothesis is a provisional idea whose merit is still to be evaluated.

Pseudoscience

• Pseudoscience is anything that pretends to be science but fails in the attempt.

Common signs of pseudoscience

• Claims with no supporting experimental evidence.
• Claims which contradicts experimental evidence.
• Claims that can't be proved false.
• Failing to consider all the facts.
• Failing to provide an experimental possibility of reproducible results.
• Violating the principle of choosing the simplest explanation when multiple viable explanations are possible.

Some of these may be part of the scientific process at one stage but should be eliminated through iteration of the process.