Today we will discuss the scientific method. For very scientific sounding (It is), it is not only a formal generalization of the intuitive way in which all reasoning. Let me explain:
Let's give a ball to a young child who has never seen anything like it. What will the child?
First, approach the ball, look and begin to play. You will likely fall to the ground or throw. Then you will realize that the ball bounces. The child will see this as a good way to have fun and break all the windows that caught on their way, so start thinking in the functioning of the magic ball. Immediately see that the stronger the boat, the higher will come later, depending on the angle at which the pull, the ball will go in one direction or another. So the child believes he has found a series of guidelines that seems to follow the ball in almost any situation. Our researcher will then start small check if your idea of \u200b\u200bhow the ball is correct, changing some conditions: try it bounce against a sloping surface, the pull against the walls and of course against his innocent brother (you know, research is sacrificed). After a number of tests will realize if your idea is correct , ie if the ball will go where he thinks it will go. It is at this point that the child will catch the ball with ease, since he alone has developed a theory on the operation of the ball. Is able to predict quite accurately the trajectory of the ball before throwing.
child probably does not think much of all this, but every step made subconsciously, it is rational and that is the logical form of action. The child will never believe blindly for himself that the ball will fly, and why not throw a bridge (if you appreciate it) before making sure that you will not waste your precious toy.
Well, this kid just tell all of us a key to the scientific development of mankind. The little guy, without knowing, we just explain each of the parts of the scientific method:
1. Comment : These directions apply to a phenomenon to have a first contact (the child looks at the ball, touches it and probably sucks, try to apply all their senses to learn more about the ball. Then see what happens to throw).
2. Induction : This step is, from observation, draw a sort of general principle about the phenomenon (the small begins to get an idea of \u200b\u200bthe functioning of the ball.)
3. Hypothesis: An idea, so far without solid foundations, the experimenter takes on the behavior of the phenomenon. Itself is not strong, it is not something that has been proven (in our case would be the guidelines that the child believes that follows the ball to bounce).
4. Experimentation : This is the most important of the method. Try to test the validity of the hypothesis (the child is changing the terms on the ball bouncing to determine whether they conform to what he thinks will do.)
5. Demonstration or Refutation : After a large number of experiments, changing the conditions, if the hypothesis is tested meets the actual behavior of the phenomenon or whether it behaves differently. In this case we must go back to the first point and begin again the process to modify the hypothesis (the child checks to his satisfaction that his hypothesis was correct).
6. Conclusions : Thinking about the whole process creates a theory. So we see that a theory is something that I DO have a solid foundation , contrary to the hypothesis.
Thus a child without initial idea has been achieved, through the scientific method, become a master of the ball!
The scientific method is no infallible tool. There has been, is and always will be radical changes in the foundation of all sciences, but undoubtedly the best method we have for understanding the world around us.
So you know, dear readers, when you enfrentéis to a new situation, let out the inner child and let him solve the problem for you;)
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