Scientific method

Scientific Method

The Scientific method is a systematic and logical approach to discovering how things in the universe work. It is the process by which scientists, collectively and over time, endeavor to construct an accurate (that is, reliable, consistent and non-arbitrary) representation of the world.

History

The history of the scientific method is a fascinating and long one, going back to the ancient Greeks and continuing through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The modern scientific method crystallized in the 17th century with the work of Galileo and Newton, but it has been evolving ever since, and it continues to be the subject of intense debate and reconsideration among scientists and philosophers of science.

Steps of the Scientific Method

The scientific method typically follows these steps:

1. Observation: The first step in the scientific method is to make an observation about the world around you.
2. Question: After making an interesting observation, a scientific mind itches to find out more about it. Thus, the second step in the scientific method is to form a question that can be answered by making more observations and/or doing experiments.
3. Hypothesis: A hypothesis is a tentative explanation for the observation or answer to the question. It is something that can be tested by further observations or experiments.
4. Experiment: An experiment is a controlled way of testing a hypothesis. Experiments are designed to be repeatable, and they should have both a control group and a variable group.
5. Analysis: After the experiment, the data collected is analyzed to see if it supports or contradicts the hypothesis.
6. Conclusion: The conclusion is a summary of the research and the results of the experiment. This is where the scientist also states whether the hypothesis was correct or not.

Importance of the Scientific Method

The scientific method is important because it is an evidence-based method for acquiring knowledge. Unlike intuitive, philosophical or religious methods for gaining understanding about the universe, the scientific method relies on empirical, measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning.

Criticisms and Limitations

While the scientific method is universally accepted as the most reliable way to gather knowledge, it is not without its critics. Some critics argue that the scientific method is too rigid and limits the scope of what can be studied. Others argue that it is subject to bias and interpretation, and that it cannot answer questions about values or what should be.

See Also

• Empiricism
• Falsifiability
• Scientific Revolution
• Scientific Theory
• Philosophy of Science

References

Scientific method Resources
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