Scientific Methodology Through the Looking Glass

Abstract

Scientific methodology is undoubtedly a necessary discipline because it deals with how a scientist reasons. This reasoning is certainly useful also for fields outside of science. Despite the credibility of science in producing knowledge on what the world is and how it works, some misunderstandings are still at the heart of scientific methodology. These are mistakes of tradition that still persist. Here I choose some of them and present logical ways for improvements. The following topics are challenged: method or methods; one or more sciences; research, or science; (re)classification of the rational knowledge; the three logical types of scientific studies; the three criteria for concluding about "cause and effect" relationships; and warning about the need to establish elementary science education focused mainly on scientific mentality rather than on scientific research.

Keywords

• science
• research
• logic
• human knowledge
• cause-and-effect
• scientific mindset