How does the scientific method work?
The classical approach to solving anything in science starts with a “problem,” which through experimentation and prediction, evolves through the “hypothesis” and “theory” stages into a scientific “law.” This is fine as far as it goes, but I like to adjust the wording of the first step, and add two more steps at the end. My version is as follows: 1. Wild and Crazy Idea If we assume that all science starts as science fiction, I like this terminology better than just calling it a “problem.” Getting beyond this involves setting up experiments to verify your idea. 2. Hypothesis If your experimental data fail to support your idea, you’ll need to go back to Step 1. If your experiments do support your idea, move on to Step 3. 3. Theory Great, your experiments support your hypothesis, and you are now the proud owner of a theory. Getting beyond this into the law stage requires that you can use your theory to predict the results of additional work, and that your predictions hold. As before, if th
