Scientific arguments have two basic forms; 1) the pure method of deduction, where some conclusion is drawn from a set of propositions and 2) the method of induction, where one draws general conclusions from particular facts that appear to serve as evidence. Inductive reasoning is only successful because of Universality.
The Scientific Method has 4 general steps, which are now starting to be structured by various scientists and philosophers. The basic principles were first laid down by Roger Bacon:
Note that there is an emphasis on falsification, not verification.
If a theory passes any test then our confidence in the theory is reinforced, but it is never proven correct in a rigorous sense. Thus, a powerful hypothesis is one that is highly vulnerable to falsification and that can be tested in many ways.
The goal of the scientific method is the construction of models and theories, all with the final goal of understanding nature at as precise of level as possible
Much of this precision will involve the use of mathematics,
and thus, simultaneous with the rise of science, will be the rise
of mathematics as a language for the expression of science.
This can not be done without a community of scholars and a place
of learning. While such structures certainly started out as
Monasteries, eventually, Universities and Academies will arise
during the reformation and the renaissance, and this will be
crucial for the advancement of knowledge.
A brief digression on mathematics:
According to Platonists, man does
invent mathematical truths, we
discover them. Mathematics transcends the physical reality that
confronts our senses.
The laws of Nature are mathematical mostly because we define a
relationship to be fundamental if it can be expressed mathematically.
There is a hidden order in Nature, which is mathematical in form and
could be uncovered by investigation. This hidden order could be
expressed in the form of mathematical principles. In the figure
below, that hidden order is coded as analysis . What
comes out is a scientific theory, model or Law of Nature.
Truly basic laws of Nature establish deep connections between
different physical processes. When a new law is developed, it is
tested under different contexts which often leads to the discovery of
new, unexpected phenomena:
According to most scientists, this demonstrates that we are determining real regularities in Nature, instead of imposing regularity on Nature through our scientific and mathematical structures. |
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Nature of Science