A “PHILOSOPHICAL” APPLICATION THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD:

TO “PURSUE TRUTH” Today, we’re going to follow a few steps of the scientific method: “Observing” a widely accepted idea, explaining why you think that it can be challenged, “posing some questions” about that idea, beginning to think about how we could go about “experimenting with them” and possibly challenging them.

FIRST, THINK ABOUT A “WIDELY ACCEPTED” IDEA, A “TRUTH,” THAT YOU BELIEVE CAN BE CHALLENGED. For example: Using a cell phone in a “conventional” way – by holding one up to your ear – every day, for at least one hour, for fifteen years, is perfectly safe.

SECOND, BE “SKEPTICAL” BY EXPLAINING WHY YOU BELIEVE THAT IT CAN BE CHALLENGED AND POSING AT LEAST TWO QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT HELP TO VALIDATE IT “AS TRUTH.” This cell phone idea can potentially be challenged because of the aspect of “safety.” How does one know, with certainty, that this behavior is safe? Could the cell phone actually be harming a person if it’s used in this way? Specifically, could it be affecting the brain? Or, could it be dangerous in other ways? For instance, would one be more likely to get oneself involved in an automobile accident of some kind?

THIRD, CREATE A HYPOTHESIS. For example: If one uses a cell phone in a “conventional” way, one is putting his own safety at risk more than if one did not use a cell phone in a “conventional” way – with something like a hands free device.

LAST, EXPLAIN HOW YOU MIGHT OBSERVE FACTS OR RECORD DATA THROUGH EXPERIMENTATION, WITH AT LEAST TWO STRATEGIES. One thing that might be done in this case is to research sources on incidents of brain cancer. Perhaps one could find data of the number of people who have brain cancer that are reported to use cell phones in the manner explained in the example. Also, perhaps one could find data on the number of people who have been in different types of accidents who were talking on the phone in a “conventional” way.

DO WE UNDERSTAND, SO FAR? Now let’s consider one, together.

CONSIDER THE “WIDELY ACCEPTED TRUTH:” IF AMERICAN STUDENTS EARN A COLLEGE DEGREE THEN THEY WILL EARN AT LEAST $1M MORE THAN STUDENTS WHO DON’T EARN A DEGREE. 1.What are at least two questions you can come up with that need to be addressed to validate this statement as truth? 2.What is your “hypothesis?” 3. What are two ways that you might you make observations and record data to potentially challenge it?

NOW, WITH A PARTNER… 1.Come up with an idea of your own to challenge. 2.What are two questions that you can pose to possibly challenge it? 3.Come up with a hypothesis, based on the idea. 4.Come up with two ways in which you can make observations and record data. 5.Be prepared to share your thoughts with us.