Charles Peirce Decision or beliefs are based on Method of tenacity Method of authority A priori method Method of science
Scientific research “Systematic, controlled, empirical, and critical investigation of natural phenomenon guided by theory and hypotheses about the presumed relations among such phenomena.” Kerlinger
Scientific thinking History: Need to explain, predict, and control Terms: Science, Variable, Theory, Hypothesis Cause-effect relationships
Scientific attitudes Determinism Parsimony Skepticism Precision Respect for theoretical structure Willingness to change opinion Aversion to superstition Suspended judgment Probability and statistics
Theory and Hypothesis Theory Hypothesis A systematic structure of thought for guiding scientific inquiry and organizing new facts. A proposed description, explanation, or model of the manner of interaction of a set of natural phenomena, capable of predicting future occurrences or observations of the same kind, and capable of being tested through experiment or otherwise falsified through empirical observation. Hypothesis Prior statement about the relation between two or more variables.
Differences between scientific and non-scientific thought Based on temporary hypotheses of cause and effect relations Inherent error in predictions Probability Objective and subjective language