Foreign Correspondence

[CoalTrain]

Note number 4


The scientific method like all things involving humans is not perfect but it is a hell of a lot better than the vodoo science Funny Money advocates.

What is the ``scientific method'?
The scientific method is the best way yet discovered for winnowing the truth from lies and delusion. The simple version looks something like this:




1. Observe some aspect of the universe.
2. Invent a tentative description, called a hypothesis, that is consistent with what you have observed.
3. Use the hypothesis to make predictions.
4. Test those predictions by experiments or further observations and modify the hypothesis in the light of your results.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until there are no discrepancies between theory and experiment and/or observation.

When consistency is obtained the hypothesis becomes a theory and provides a coherent set of propositions which explain a class of phenomena. A theory is then a framework within which observations are explained and predictions are made.