Science explains how things work. But how exactly does science work?

Answer 1

1. Scientists make observations and someone comes up with an explanation, called a 'hypothesis'.

2. The scientist or a colleague comes up with a *prediction* that tests the hypothesis ... an experiment or observation. If the predicdtion does not hold, then the hypothesis is disproved. If the prediction is verified, then this becomes added to the list of things that the hypothesis explains.

3. Each such experiment or observation is published, so that other scientists can verify the methods, critique problems, poke holes in the results if they can.

4. If someone comes up with a rival explanation for all the same observations, then someone has to come up with a prediction/experiment/observation that will distinguish between them. One hypothesis will fall, the other remain standing.

5. After enough observations/experiments verifying the hypothesis, and if all other hypotheses fall based on some observation or another, the hypothesis attains the status of a 'theory'. A theory is just a hypothesis that has withstood enough testing that it has accumulated a *very* strong body of evidence. Any rival theory would have to explain that evidence, and explain it better (with a simpler explanation).

6. Notice that it is never possible to *prove* a theory or a hypothesis in science. It can only be *disproved* by finding counterevidence ... or it can fall to a better (a simpler) theory that explains the same evidence.

Incidentally, iraqisax is utterly wrong when he says "The theory of evolution ... has never been observed, repeated or falsified."
- It has been observed, both in nature and in the laboratory (I can give examples if you want).
- It has been repeated in the laboratory and every time someone breeds cocker spaniels that win more dog shows. (Evolution is just slow change in the genome.)
- And it is absolutely *falsifiable* ... but has never been falsified. The discovery of genetics and DNA could have produced all sorts of falsifying observations ... e.g. had a single organism been discovered that used a different basis for inheritance then that organism could not have evolved from others ... but that did not occur. If genetics had shown patterns inconsistent with common ancestry, that would have dealt a blow to evolution. If fossils had ever been discovered in the wrong order, or in the wrong layers, that would have been a blow to evolution. But none of these things have ever happened. Not once.

(Trust me ... the reason over 95% of scientists accept evolution as the best theory going is not because they think Darwin has pretty eyes. They accept it because of overwhelming empirical *evidence*. Scientists live, eat, and breathe evidence. They are fallible, but they are not, as a group, stupid or dishonest.)

The theory of evolution is one of the *best* examples of the scientific method at work ... confirmed over and over by experiment and observation ... one of the strongest examples of a scientific theory in the history of science.

Answer 2

Ok... Perhaps you may be asking: What is the scientific method?

The first step is to clarify what question we are trying to resolve.

Secondly, based on research, preliminary observation and mental analysis (as Einstein called it: a mind experiment), we develop a hypothesis.

Third we carefully calibrate and test the results.

Next, we repeat the experiment many times.

Afterwards, we seek peer review and repeatability from other scientists...

Only if all the previous conditions are thoroughly met can an idea be thought of as a THEORY...

For a theory to be accepted as a scientific principle or law, in must be successfully repeated many, many thousands of times...

One important guideline In establishing the hypothesis is Occam's Razor: The correct analysis of a given phenomena is likely to be the one that explains all of the observed elements with as few assumptions as possible.

--Thanks for the question... Happy New Year!!

By the way, secretsauce is absolutely right, Darwin's Theory has been checked more thoroughly than virtually any in science using species analysis, genetic tools, statistical analysis, fossil research, chemical analysis, electron microscopy, etc...

The kind of comment re: the 'un' scientific basis of Darwin's evolution smacks of such thoughts as: Aircraft flight is impossible because if God intended us to fly, He would have given us wings, or that the planets revolve around the Earth. --The Church took 500 years to forgive Galileo for that. ...Only NOW are they finally accepting it!

Answer 3

Science works by experimentation. When someone has a theory of how some mechanism might work, he needs to test it. He must observe the results. Then he must repeat it again and again, always getting the same result. Then he must try to find a way to disprove his theory. This is known as the Scientific Method. When someone comes up with a theory that is not based on the Scientific Method, this theory is not science. The best example of this is the theory of evolution. It has never been observed, repeated of falsified. It is not science. It is metaphysics - sort of like a religious belief.

Answer 4

science by definition is an organized body of knowledge. so science works by organizing large quantities of knowledge.

Answer 5

human beings are social creatures. we've morals and thoughts as a potential to chat and have interaction with one yet another. they permit us to establish regulations that create our societies. without morals or thoughts, there could be no civillization. Humanity could in no way have developed previous common organic tendencies.

Answer 6

Look around you.

That's how exactly science works.

Answer 7

It works exactly how you want it to

Answer 8

by posing a question, indicating how the answer will be determined, providing a test for it to occur and either it is proven or not

Answer 9

hypothesis experiment verify

Answer 10

make questions (sometimes stupid ones)
provide solitions that is provable