Definition
The Scientific Method is an iterative process for gaining, organizing, and applying new knowledge. It involves the formulation and evaluation of hypotheses based on empirical evidence. In a broader sense, it is the tool used to distinguish between what we know and what we only think we know.
Why It Matters
The scientific method is the only tool we have for distinguishing what we know from what we only think we know; it is the iterative process that has allowed humanity to escape the stagnation of superstition and build the modern world.
Core Concepts
- The Classical Method:
- Observe and identify a question.
- Formulate a hypothesis (an educated guess).
- Predict the consequences of the hypothesis.
- Perform experiments to test the predictions.
- Formulate a general rule that organizes the hypothesis, prediction, and experimental outcome.
- Scientific Fact: A close agreement by competent observers who make a series of observations of the same phenomenon. Facts are not absolute; they can change with better data.
- Scientific Law (Principle): A hypothesis that has been tested over and over again and has not been contradicted.
- Scientific Theory: A synthesis of a large body of information that encompasses well-tested and verified hypotheses about certain aspects of the natural world. (e.g., Atomic Theory).
- Testability: A hallmark of science is that it must be falsifiable. If there is no test for its possible wrongness, then it is not scientific.