Scientific method in brief / Hugh G. Gauch, Jr.
"The general principles of the scientific method, which are applicable across all of the sciences, are essential for perspective, productivity, and innovation. These principles include deductive and inductive logic, probability, parsimony, and hypothesis testing, as well as science's presu...
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| Format: | Electronic eBook |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge ; New York :
Cambridge University Press,
©2012.
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Table of Contents:
- 1. Introduction
- The gateway into science
- Acontroversialidea
- The AAAS position on method
- Science as a liberal art
- Benefits and challenges
- Personal experience
- Seven streams
- Historical and future outlook
- 2. Four bold claims
- Rationality
- Truth
- Objectivity
- Realism
- Science and common sense
- 3. A brief history of truth
- The most elemental question
- Aristotle
- Augustine
- Medieval scholars
- Modern scholars
- Water
- 4. Science's contested rationality
- Science's auditors
- Elusive truth
- Theory-laden data
- Incommensurable paradigms
- Empty consensus
- Reactions from scientists
- The AAAS posture
- Clear targets
- 5. Science's presuppositions
- Historical perspective on presuppositions
- The PEL model of full disclosure
- Implementation of presuppositions
- Science's worldview forum
- Justification of knowledge claims
- Review of functions
- 6. Science's powers and limits
- Rather obvious limitations
- Thesciencesandworldviews
- Empirical method in the humanities
- Individual experience and worldviews
- Logical roles and diagnoses
- Review of boundaries
- Personal rewards from science
- 7. Deductive logic
- Deduction and induction
- Historical perspective on deduction
- Propositional logic
- Predicate logic
- Arithmetic
- Common fallacies
- 8. Probability
- Probability concepts
- Four requirements
- Probability axioms
- Bayes's theorem
- Probability distributions
- Permutations and combinations
- Probability fallacies
- 9. Inductive logic and statistics
- Historical perspective on induction
- Bayesian inference
- Frequentist inference
- Bayesian decision
- Induction lost and regained
- 10. Parsimony and efficiency
- Historical perspective on parsimony
- Preview of basic principles
- Curve fitting
- Crop yields
- Crime rates
- Explanation of accuracy gain
- Philosophical reflection
- 11. Case studies
- Philosophy
- Electronic engineering
- Biochemistry and pharmacology
- Medicine
- Sociology
- Economics.