Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Four bold claims
- 3 A brief history of truth
- 4 Science's contested rationality
- 5 Science's presuppositions
- 6 Science's powers and limits
- 7 Deductive logic
- 8 Probability
- 9 Inductive logic and statistics
- 10 Parsimony and efficiency
- 11 Case studies
- 12 Ethics and responsibilities
- 13 Science education
- 14 Conclusions
- References
- Index
11 - Case studies
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 November 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Four bold claims
- 3 A brief history of truth
- 4 Science's contested rationality
- 5 Science's presuppositions
- 6 Science's powers and limits
- 7 Deductive logic
- 8 Probability
- 9 Inductive logic and statistics
- 10 Parsimony and efficiency
- 11 Case studies
- 12 Ethics and responsibilities
- 13 Science education
- 14 Conclusions
- References
- Index
Summary
This chapter presents seven case studies intended to illustrate the broad applicability of the general principles of scientific method that were explained in the previous chapters. The first concerns philosophy. The middle five case studies span the physical, biological, and social sciences, including some applications to technology. The last concerns law. Hopefully, contemplating these case studies will prompt readers to discern promising new applications of the general principles of scientific method in their own disciplines, not only in the sciences but also in the humanities.
Philosophy
Recall the earlier quotation from the American Association for the Advancement of Science that “many of these fundamental values and aspects” of science “are also the province of the humanities, the fine and practical arts, and the social sciences” (AAAS 1990:xii). There is a fruitful traffic of ideas between science and philosophy and more generally between science and the “wider world of ideas” (AAAS 1990:24).
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Scientific Method in Brief , pp. 199 - 219Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2012