Understanding Scientific Inquiry

Abstract

Science is a process of inquiry: a process of asking and answering questions. However, a good question is more than an interrogatory, and a good answer is more than information: there are logical constraints that dictate when a question is answerable and what qualifies as an answer. This paper will provide an understanding of (1) when a question is answerable, (2) when a question is not ready to be asked, (3) when a question is trivial, (4) what is required for a response to be an answer, and (5) what sequence of inquiry is required to identify an answer. Equipped with this understanding, a scientist can better determine an appropriate sequence of study for a research program as well as identify the necessary arguments to warrant claims of understanding, funding, and the publication of research findings.

Keywords

• Erotetics
• research questions
• research philosophy