The progress of science has greatly broadened our understanding of the nature and improved the quality of our life.
Science is organized knowledge on any subject. It includes facts and theories. Scientific methods are techniques used for investigating phenomena, obtaining new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.
Scientific methods differ or vary among subjects, for example, the methods used for studying biology are different from those used for studying Astrology or geology. But basically, a scientific method includes the following steps:
Step one is to define the problem. Ask what the problem is. A well defined problem is halfway to being solved. It is not an easy task to define a problem. Albert Einstein once said if he had one hour to save the world he would spend fifty-five minutes defining the problem and only five minutes finding the solution. On many occasions, the problem is to know what the problem is.
Step two is to construct hypotheses. Hypothesis is a proposed explanation for the phenomenon or suggested answers to the question. Constructing hypothesis is to give reasonable explanation to the phenomenon based on observation and previous knowledge.
Step three is to make predictions. The prediction is logical and reasonable deduction from the hypothesis. If the hypothesis were correct, what consequences would follow?
Step four is to test the hypothesis by performing experiments or collecting data.
Step five is to draw conclusions. Analyze the results of the experiments and interpreting the data collected, check if they are consistent to the predictions made on step three. Do the results disprove the hypothesis, verify the hypothesis or prove the hypothesis is partly correct that needs to be modified?
These five steps consist of a cycle that will be repeated again and again in continuous scientific exploration.
The key point of scientific knowledge is that the scientific ideas or theories are testable, can be proved or disproved. If an idea or a theory cannot be tested, it could be either because science and technology has not developed to such a stage to provide necessary tools or means to test it, or because the idea or theory is not a scientific one. For example, without invention of microscopes, the microorganisms wouldn’t have been discovered in 19th century, or the idea of existence of invisible life could not be proved at that time.
Ideas concerning value, morality, ethnics and religion are not scientific; they are beyond science. For example, science alone cannot answer if abortion is right or wrong.
It is my belief that scientific methods are not only essential techniques for solving scientific problems but also powerful tools for solving the problems we encounter every day.
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The above is one of my 5-7 min speeches I delivered in Toastmasters Club.
Science is organized knowledge on any subject. It includes facts and theories. Scientific methods are techniques used for investigating phenomena, obtaining new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.
Scientific methods differ or vary among subjects, for example, the methods used for studying biology are different from those used for studying Astrology or geology. But basically, a scientific method includes the following steps:
Step one is to define the problem. Ask what the problem is. A well defined problem is halfway to being solved. It is not an easy task to define a problem. Albert Einstein once said if he had one hour to save the world he would spend fifty-five minutes defining the problem and only five minutes finding the solution. On many occasions, the problem is to know what the problem is.
Step two is to construct hypotheses. Hypothesis is a proposed explanation for the phenomenon or suggested answers to the question. Constructing hypothesis is to give reasonable explanation to the phenomenon based on observation and previous knowledge.
Step three is to make predictions. The prediction is logical and reasonable deduction from the hypothesis. If the hypothesis were correct, what consequences would follow?
Step four is to test the hypothesis by performing experiments or collecting data.
Step five is to draw conclusions. Analyze the results of the experiments and interpreting the data collected, check if they are consistent to the predictions made on step three. Do the results disprove the hypothesis, verify the hypothesis or prove the hypothesis is partly correct that needs to be modified?
These five steps consist of a cycle that will be repeated again and again in continuous scientific exploration.
The key point of scientific knowledge is that the scientific ideas or theories are testable, can be proved or disproved. If an idea or a theory cannot be tested, it could be either because science and technology has not developed to such a stage to provide necessary tools or means to test it, or because the idea or theory is not a scientific one. For example, without invention of microscopes, the microorganisms wouldn’t have been discovered in 19th century, or the idea of existence of invisible life could not be proved at that time.
Ideas concerning value, morality, ethnics and religion are not scientific; they are beyond science. For example, science alone cannot answer if abortion is right or wrong.
It is my belief that scientific methods are not only essential techniques for solving scientific problems but also powerful tools for solving the problems we encounter every day.
---
The above is one of my 5-7 min speeches I delivered in Toastmasters Club.
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