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What is the modern scientific method?

The modern scientific method is nothing more than a formalism.

It consists of formulating knowledge as propositions of the type 'If A₁ and A₂ and A₃, etc., then B,' or equivalent.
These propositions must additionally satisfy two conditions:

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the statement is public

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anyone can reproduce the experiment, meaning that by reproducing the experimental conditions A₁ and A₂ and A₃, etc., they observe the conclusion B.

If a person reproducing the experimental conditions does not observe the conclusion, then the proposition is invalidated and removed.

Benefits of science

It does not contradict itself. Therefore, there is no reason to resort to social violence to impose a conclusion. When scientists violently oppose one another, it is because they present as scientific propositions assertions that are abusive generalizations of propositions—i.e., propositions in which part of the experimental conditions has been forgotten.

Ignorance of the modern scientific method and its social consequences

On the one hand, we observe that even individuals who have received a Nobel Prize in a scientific field are often unable to clearly explain what the modern scientific method is, even though they practice it perfectly.

On the other hand, individuals who have pursued literary studies are generally unable to understand the difference between a scientific proposition and a merely plausible opinion. This is a major problem because it leads them to pit opinions against scientific propositions, resulting in dogmatic decisions by individuals who consider themselves tolerant for confronting differing opinions.
Indeed, ignorance of the fundamental difference between a fact established according to the modern scientific method and a merely plausible opinion leads these individuals to regard any attempt to elevate an opinion based on the modern scientific method above their merely plausible opinion—and vice versa—as a sign of intolerance, compounded by a personal attack. In effect, this leads them to attack virulently those who defend objective facts against beliefs. See the question 'What should one do to be a good person?'

Quotes

Henri Poincaré, Science and Hypothesis, 1917: 'To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions, both of which spare us from thinking.'

Confucius, The Analects, 2.17: 'Qiu, shall I teach you how to attain true knowledge? To know what you know, and to know what you do not know—that is true knowledge.'

Further Reading

Consult the beginning of chapter 22 'Citizenship, Education, and Philosophy' of the book From Capital to Reason.

As explained in the article 'Building the Social Sciences Like Mathematics', this site presents a new approach to the social sciences, inspired by the methodology used to construct mathematics.

 

2022-07-10 10:43:05 Cyril Refutability

Karl Popper a introduit le critère de réfutabilité pour toute hypothèse scientifique, qui depuis un siècle fait consensus dans la communauté scientifique.
Cela n'empêche pas certains scientifiques de le remettre en cause pour faire valoir leur théories invérifiables (théorie des cordes, multivers...) :
https://www.nature.com/articles/516321a
Cela porte à penser qu'il faut faire confiance à la science, mais se méfier des scientifiques :)

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