Search Results for: scientific method

The scientific method – what about the philosophical method?

I enjoy the In Our Time Podcasts with Melvyn Bragg. The subjects are very wide-ranging and always informative. His last one was on The Scientific Method. It basically discusses the evolution of scientific methods from a philosophical viewpoint. The participants … Continue reading

Scientific method and the “supernatural”

This is a repeat of a post from over 2 years ago: Richard Dawkins TV series Enemies of Reason has caused some discussion about the relationship of science to the supernatural. This also comes up in discussions of the nature … Continue reading

Intelligent design and scientific method

The intelligent design movement (ID) is not a school of scientific research – more a political, social and religious movement. IDs initiator and main theological guru, Phillip Johnson, admitted this in 1996 when he said: “This isn’t really, and never … Continue reading

When scientists get political: Lead fluoride-IQ researcher launches emotional attack on her scientific critics

It seems impossible to keep politics out of science. It’s a pity because politics can end up forcing science to produce the results desired by politicians. When this happens the ideal aim of science – the pursuit of objective knowledge … Continue reading

Beware of scientific paper abstracts – read the full text to avoid being fooled

Inaccuracies are very common in scientific paper abstracts. Image credit: Science in the Abstract: Don’t Judge a Study by its Cover I have come to accept anti-fluoride campaigners will never stop cherry-picking research and findings to support their claims but … Continue reading

Scientific integrity requires critical investigation – not blind acceptance

Some people seem to want to close down any critical discussion of the current research into the relationship between water fluoride and child IQ. They appear to argue that claims made by researchers should not be open to critical review … Continue reading

Fluoridation – A new fight against scientific misinformation

The new Canadian fluoride-IQ study has certainly created some sensational reporting. On the one hand, anti-fluoride campaigners are lauding the study as the best things since sliced bread and seem sure it will lead to the end of community water … Continue reading

Science – a method of investigation, not a belief system

Love this tweet from John Cleese. There is the obvious point about “belief.” Many people seem to think the scientific knowledge is a matter of belief and, in their eyes, something that can be subjectively chosen. That is ridiculous. But … Continue reading

Scientific papers, civil disobedience and personal networks

Image credit: 4 tips on finding and reading scientific papers… Jerry Coyne raises an important issue about science publishing on his blog, Why Evolution is True. That is the problem of most published scientific journals being behind a firewall and so … Continue reading

Making sense of scientific research

This has been a common theme here as I have campaigned against cherry-picking research papers, relying on confirmation bias and putting blind faith in peer-review as a guarantee of research quality. In short I have pleaded for readers to approach … Continue reading