

What is Science? (For Dummies) - DanielBMarkham
http://www.whattofix.com/blog/archives/2011/08/what-is-science.php

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lotharbot
I think you can simplify science to this: observe, theorize. Repeat these two
steps over and over again, refining your theory (or improving your statistical
bounds) based on observations.

Note that there is no "end" state. Theories get better, but they don't get
perfect.

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DanielBMarkham
Falsifiability is critical, as is the provisional nature of inductive
reasoning. So I can't simplify as far as you would.

But you could probably simplify from this article, no doubt. I think the trick
would be to do so in a way that kept the "gotchas" mentioned in the notes.

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lotharbot
The reason I explain it like I do is that "observation" and "theory" are the
core elements; everything else (all the notes and gotchas) are constraints,
requirements, or clarifications of those two elements.

For example, falsifiability is a constraint on what qualifies as an allowable
scientific theory. Recognizing that theories are probabilistic leads to the
understanding that they remain provisional (with probability never quite
reaching 1). Testing a hypothesis means making observations of a particular
sort and comparing them to specific predictions from the hypothesis. Making
data and algorithms public is a way to ensure observations can be passed from
person to person with a minimum of bias creeping in. And on and on and on...

~~~
DanielBMarkham
Nope. I got you. Excellent distillation.

I was just saying the purpose here was to distill enough to keep a short list,
while not too much to leave out significant details. (Common mistakes)

You are absolutely right about observe and theory. If I had to take it to two
words, those would the the ones.

