What is science and scientific research?

In Paradigms Lost, pp. 1–10,Casti lists three popular (mis)understandings of what modern science is:
  1. a set of facts and a set of theories that explain the facts
  2. a particular approach, the scientific method
  3. whatever’s being done by institutions carrying on “scientific” activity
Among the general public it is the third interpretation that is probably the most popular. People seldom think of the second option. Here are some of the prevalent myths that Casti cites as part of the reason why such a misunderstanding can prevail:
  • The primary goal of science is the accumulation of facts. This is a major activity of scientists doing basic research. However, these scientists actually use the data to derive principles and to relate these principles to the data. For example, the trivial fact that carbon has an atomic weight of 12.011 is just a curiosity until it can be placed in the context of such facts about other elements and can be related to them using the laws of chemistry and physics.
  • Science distorts reality and can’t do justice to the fullness of human experience. Just like religion, art, literature, mysticism, or any human activity, science must pick and choose the aspects of reality to ignore in order to probe the other aspects.
  • Scientific knowledge is truth. Science has no ultimate explanations. Every law or theory is subject to change or modification.
  • Science is concerned primarily with solving practical and social problems. This is the primary activity of the applied researcher and engineer. Science as the object of more basic research leads to understanding and understanding may lead to a new technology. Scientists don’t look for answers, but for an understanding of the question. Some technologies have developed without a sound basis in a scientific explanation and some fail yet to have one, for example, Chinese acupuncture.

Genealogical research.  
Having just asked about what science and scientific research is, we can ask the same question about what research in any particular field of science is. In addressing the question of how to define science we may also address the elements that can make each individual domain of study scientific.

Casti’s misconceptions about science can thus be reformulated as more or less true conceptions with respect to research in each particular field. We will here look at genealogical research and the kinds of questions that genealogical research addresses.
  1. a set of facts about a problem space and a set of compilations that explain the facts
  2. a particular methodology, the genealogical research cycle
  3. whatever’s being done by professional genealogists carrying on “genealogical research” activities
Differences that give people the impression that genealogy is not science abound. It is the first interpretation that is probably the most popular. People seldom think of the second option. Here are some of the prevalent myths that we may cite as part of the reason why such a misunderstanding can prevail:
  • The primary goal of genealogists is the accumulation of facts. This is a major activity of most genealogists doing research. Many hobbyists in the field are collectors of facts who often do not or cannot evaluate them for their authenticity. However, the true genealogist actually uses what he learns to derive principles and to relate these principles to the data. For example, the trivial fact that grandpa died at age 72 is just a curiosity until it can be placed in the context of such facts about other individuals in his context and his life can be related to them using the laws of demographics.
  • Genealogy relates to particular people and can’t be abstracted into a full characterization of the populations and cultures. Just like chemistry, physics, or any other science, genealogy must pick and choose the aspects of reality to ignore in order to probe the other aspects.
  • Genealogical knowledge can be proved. Like any other science, genealogy has no ultimate explanations. Nor are the individual compilations provable beyond some level of confidence in the evidence available. Just as every compilation is subject to change or modification, so every law or principle derived from it may be made more or less precise.
  • Genealogy is of no use in solving practical and social problems. Understanding of cultural and social issues is basic to the successful pursuit of genealogical research. Every science should be the object of basic research and lead to understanding. Increased understanding allows for a wider application of the basic resources available. Genealogists must look beyond the questions posed by a particular problem space, toward an understanding of the larger questions. Most methodologies of genealogy seem to have developed without a sound basis in a principled and scientific explanation.

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