National Research Council. "2 Scientific Reasoning in Action." Quantum Leaps in the Wrong Direction: Where Real Science Ends...and Pseudoscience Begins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2001. 1. Print.
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QUANTUM LEAPS in the Wrong Direction Where Real Science Ends... and Pseudoscience Begins
2 Scientific Reasoning in Action
In science the important thing is to modify and change one'sideas as science advances.
Herbert Spencer
Evolution of Atomic Models
To see scientific reasoning in action, let's examine a classic example: scientists' quest to understand the unseen, basic building blocks of all matter. This example will show that scientific ideas develop not on the basis of authority, but through a rigorous refining process that compares reality to predictions. It will emphasize the need for scientists to continually reexamine their hypotheses in the light of new experimental evidence and to remain prepared to revise their hypotheses.
