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Stages of the scientific approach

In Paradigms Lost, pp. 13–67, Casti then sets about describing the logical structure of science — elements of the approach known as the scientific method. Scientific method comprises a number of stages reached in the development and maturity of a scientific theory. The principles of science are the framework of this method. It is through the scientific approach that the community of scientists helps us deepen our understanding of the world. In this chapter we look carefully at some of the strengths and weaknesses of the scientific approach.

Scientific Method

As a central goal the scientific method strives for a codification of understanding in the form of scientific theories. It is useful to divide this method into seven sub-methods or stages. The idea is that in order for science to accept the activities of a scientist as legitimate they must contribute at one of these stages. It is possible to characterize each stage according to the purpose of the scientist’s activity. The most important stage is scientific theory. Many scientists call this truth. We have more to say about this in our work in logic. In the figure theory comes as stage 5. The purpose of a scientific theory is to have an explanation so as to predict natural phenomena. There are six other stages, four that lead up to scientific theory and two that follow. In importance scientific theory sits atop a pinnacle in the center.
First comes a discussion of the scientific approach in seven sections, one for each stage. The reader will soon discover that these stages cannot really be very independent so far as their purpose is concerned. For one thing observation pervades virtually all the other stages of the process. The paradigm treats observation as stage one (1) — the statement of the facts. For example, scientists can do nothing without first making an observation. And yet people can hardly make an observation without doing so from the standpoint of their own experiences and their own prejudices. These experiences and prejudices might easily have resulted from stage three (3) and stage five (5) of the theory that they have previously accepted. In other words, much of what scientists have come to understand they understand from the viewpoint of the accepted theoretical environment within which they have learned to work. Moreover, scientists amass observations (1) and make them out to be evidence (6) for the accepted theory (5). Characteristic of scientific progress are many fits and starts. Perhaps one reason for this is that scientists never fully complete stage one before beginning stage two. Moreover, successful scientists look beyond their immediate observations; they plan and design their work in anticipation of success in the future stages of the process. This means that they must be cautious to keep their anticipation within acceptable limits. If their design depends too much on their own pet theories, their peers will view their activities as unscientific and their contributions as pseudo-science.

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