Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Scientific Method



Leigh wrote:
I find the silly
"scientific method" that is taught in the schools to be of
little value. Why does one need a hypothesis? The student
often expects that Nature's opinion is of secondary
importance because she doesn't assign the grade.


Let me add another Right On! Why is it silly; because those rigid steps
listed in many middle school texts aren't the way the scientists I know
proceed.

I recall a quote, and if anybody remembers this please correct it and give
the citation; I think it was from Feynman who described the scientific
method as follows:

"Trying to figure out how nature works: no holds barred".

I think this is about as good a definition as any and more accurately
reflects how the practitioners actually proceed.

Does anybody recall the exact quote? And who it is from?

Joel Rauber
Joel_Rauber@sdstate.edu