The scientific method emerged only four
hundred years ago as a rational and logically defensible alternative to blind
faith. Both the technology underpinning modern society and our confidence in
the predictability of nature depends on the reliability of scientific
research.
The scientific method involves seven
basic steps:
- Define a problem.
- Gather information about the problem
through observation.
- Form a hypothesis to explain the
observations.
- Perform experiments to test the
hypothesis and collect data.
- Analyze the data.
- Interpret the data and make conclusions.
- Formulate a final hypothesis.
But it isn’t quite that simple. The
scientific method embodies various assumptions. For example, the scientist
must be objective in his observations. He must share his data and methods so
that others can repeat his experiments to test their validity. His results
must be falsifiable — that is, if he is wrong, there must be a way to
prove that he is wrong. Before articles are published in scientific journals,
they must be vetted through the peer-review process to ensure that the results
are valid. All of these assumptions allow people to have confidence in the
results of the researchers’ experiments that are then presented to the world as
“truth.”
Since before the industrial revolution,
these methods have not only informed us about our world but have borne the
fruit of a great technological harvest, ranging from more and more efficient
steam engines in the 1800s to faster and faster microprocessors in the 21stcentury.
Basic science, therefore, gives us an
understanding of how our world works. When that understanding is married to
technology, it yields a wealth of useful tools with which to improve our
lives. Through the ages, this has proved to be true in medicine, physics,
chemistry, and every other area of science.
In fact, virtually all of our 21st century decisions are driven by our reliance on scientific research. Whether
it’s energy and climate policy, health care, marketing practices, or investment
decisions; we rely consciously and unconsciously on scientific research to
guide us.
But recently, our trust in...
