Introduction
The discovery of science started to happen from the discovery of atoms and metals throughout the human genomic mapping. Observations started about 500 BC when the Mesopotamians were explaining that earth is the centerpiece of the universe and everything revolves around it.
The great Greeks were the first people to observe and explain the theory behind the nature of science, such as the Pythagoras theorem. It was also them that came up with the understanding that earth and everything around it was made up of atoms and molecules. Amongst other places other than Greek, India, China, South America, and the Middle East developed science on things such as paper, soap, and gunpowder.
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The science we know about today was bought about in the 13th century through European universities. However, this was a slow progress to prove the theories behind the science. It was up until the 16th century for evolution to make sense such as the Copernicus and the proof of how blood circulates the body which was proven by Harvey.
It was the invention of instruments that helped scientists of that time to look closely onto science I.e. the invention of the telescope. This was the time when ‘MORDEN SCIENCE' was birthed, in the 17th century. During this time, laws and theories were put forward such as the principle of gravity and the relationship between pressure, volume, and temperature. Fast forward to the 19th century, where the greatest, well-known scientists came forward with new discoveries such as John Dalton who came up with the theory of atomic matter, Charles Darwin who came up with the theory of evolution and many more. These scientists came up with their discoveries based on the scientific method, how the world functions and the development of science and theory.
The scientific method
The scientific method is a procedure that has characterized natural science since the 17th century consisting of systematic observation, measurement, experiment, formulation, testing and modification of the hypothesis- Oxford dictionary.
The scientific method is guidelines/steps which scientists follow to solve a problem. There are several steps in the scientific method depends on the problem at hand. Amongst these steps include 1) observation, 2) hypothesis, 3) research, 4) experiment 5) data analysis 6) conclusion of that question 7) communicate results.
- Observation - this is the first stage in the scientific method where the scientists ask themselves a question, they want to prove through what they see or through their knowledge and curiosity. This question can be based on self-observation, the previous experiment conducted or proofs from other scientists with questionable results. If the experiment has already been proven or has a known answer, a different question can be posed. During the observation, the question at hand can be difficult because it will affect the outcome of the experiment.
- Hypothesis - hypothesis is the second stage of the scientific method. It is a formulated question that is based on knowledge and observation. A hypothesis can either be broad or specific based on the desired outcome. It can also be falsifiable meaning it cannot be meaningfully tested and therefore contradict the hypothesis.
- Research - This is the theoretical part of the scientific method where the scientist must determine the logical consequences of the hypothesis and the relativeness of it. It also involves the relation of the question at hand and other questions or topics with the same hypothesis, likely the same for further predictions.
- Experiment - this involves whether the hypothesis behaves like the experimental investigation. At this stage, the scientist must use the materials to prove whether the predictions are going to answer the hypothesis in an agreeable or non-agreeable manner. If they agree then there are high chances that the hypothesis could be true, however, this is not a guarantee. Karl Popper advised scientists to do research on those results that seem falsely to the hypothesis to be certain of the results. Also, if the results of the experiment do not give a conclusive answer it doesn’t mean the hypothesis is wrong.
- Data analysis - This is the last part of the experimental procedure. It shows the results of the experiment and the next steps to follow.
- Conclusion - This is the final step of the scientific method which explains the results obtained from the experimental procedure. This is the most important step of the scientific method because it explains if the hypothesis came out right or wrong. If the conclusion contradicts the hypothesis then the scientist has either had to restart the experiment to get the desired outcomes or not to carry on with the research that was conducted.
- Communicate results - this is the step where the scientists publish their results either by doing a report or a presentation.
Let's take an example you want to freeze water with/ without salt.
- observation- want to find out if water freezes faster with salt added or not
- Hypothesis- if the temperature is the same, water with salt and without will freeze at the same time interval
- Research- research whether salt contains elements or has a structure that may affect the temperature of water to freeze.
- Experiment- set a timer and put 2 jugs of in a freezer, one with salt and the other without salt at the same measurement.
- Data analysis- after the time has completed, check whether the water with salt froze first or the water without salt.
- conclusion- looking at the data you collected, come up with a conclusion whether the water with salt froze first or the one without and answer your hypothesis.
- communicate results- write a report or do a presentation based on your results.
Science is a human endeavor that is extremely successful. The study of the scientific method is an attempt to determine the practices that achieve that success systematic observation and analysis, inductive and deductive reasoning and the development and testing of hypotheses and theories are amongst the practices sometimes defined as a characteristic of science.
History of the scientific method
Significant controversies in the history of science include rationalism, in particular as promoted by Rene Descartes; inductivism and/or empirics as advocated by Francis Bacon and becoming particularly prominent with Isaac Newton and his companions and the scientific theory-reductivism that originated at the beginning of the 19th century.
The word scientific method emerged in the 19th century when there was a major institutional advancement in science and terminologies that formed clear boundaries between non-science and science, such as scientists and pseudoscience arose.
The Muslims were also part of the formulation of the scientific method during the 10th - 14th centuries. The basis of observation’ in science was first used by them. The greater scholar of that time AL Haytham who was an architect of the scientific method used the 7 steps do determine the scientific method.
These steps become popular and like the modern scientific method in western science during the Renaissance.
Key scientists in formulating scientific method
Francis Bacon (1561-1626) was the first scientist that formulated the definite definition and steps of the scientific method, but the problem was false because of his profession as he was a lawyer and hence did not think in a scientific manner. And however, Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) and Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) previously did some work that affected Francis’s work because they observed that the solar system of the planet revolves around the sun, not the Earth, which Galileo proved this using a telescope designed by himself to collect the data.
Isaac Newton (1642-1727) carried on from the systematic study of motion by Galileo by the time of his death. His work using mathematics resulted in differential calculus. He used the scientific method to come up with the law of motion and universal gravitation. His work came about in the 19th century when modern science was discovered also known for cell theory.
There are furthermore scientists who carried on with the formulation/using the scientific method including Einstein, Russel, Popper and Feyerabend and other great thinkers.
Above these scientists, Rene Descartes and Francis Bacon contributed ideas that became part of the scientific method. Rene was a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist.
However, some scientists came up with theories and proofs of science not based on the scientific method. Charles Darwin is one of the scientists that didn’t follow the scientific method to rationalize his version of evolution even though he was aware and had knowledge based on the scientific method. But however, it was not out of his own goodwill, but he was forced not to follow it due to his lack of evidence. He went on to say in 1857 [“I am quite conscious that my speculation was run quite beyond the bounds of the science”] he was very concerned about abandoning the scientific method.
Conclusion
From the information gathered, the scientific method is very effective to conduct research or collect data. However, one can quarry of how effective it is because a hypothesis is something that at the end of your results, you're supposed to get results that contradict the hypothesis for it to be true or to be correct. But I disagree because a hypothesis is a question that one makes based on knowledge, opinion and personal belief and therefore tries to prove it right.
The scientific method is a good method that was used from long ago by great scientists to prove the laws and theories that we use in our everyday life and are still going to be used.
References
- Born, Max (1949), Natural Philosophy of Cause and Chance, Peter Smith, also published by Dover, 1964.
- Brody, Thomas A. (1993), The Philosophy Behind Physics, Springer Verlag, Bruno, Leonard C. (1989), The Landmarks of Science.
- Bynum, W.F Porter, Roy (2005), Oxford Dictionary of Scientific Quotations, Oxford
- Dales, Richard C. (1973), The Scientific Achievement of the Middle Ages (The Middle Ages Series), University of Pennsylvania Press.
- di Francia, G. Toraldo (1981), The Investigation of the Physical World, Cambridge University.
- Einstein, Albert; Infeld, Leopold (1938), The Evolution of Physics: from early concepts to relativity and quanta, New York: Simon and Schuster.
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