Quick facts
- Core Principle
- Empirical evidence over dogma or authority
- Key Criterion
- Falsifiability (Karl Popper)
- Pioneering Texts
- Book of Optics (Alhazen, 1021), Novum Organum (Bacon, 1620)
- Validation Mechanism
- Double-blind experimentation, statistical significance (p-values), peer review
The Iterative Cycle of Investigation
The scientific method is not a rigid linear recipe, but a self-correcting iterative cycle designed to minimize human cognitive biases. It begins with systematic observation of a physical phenomenon, followed by formulating a falsifiable hypothesis that makes concrete, measurable predictions.
Experiments are conducted with controlled variables and isolation. If empirical results contradict predictions, the hypothesis is rejected or refined. Theories are never declared 'proven with absolute certainty'; rather, they gain scientific confidence through repeated independent replication by the global scientific community.
Epistemological References
The foundation of inductive scientific reasoning
Falsification criterion
Forest Trails
- Emerged From