Remember Indiana Jones?=20 Science is the search for facts. Philosophy is the search for truth! =20 Seems kinda strange to use a move quote here! =20 Malcolm L. McCallum Assistant Professor Department of Biological Sciences Texas A&M University Texarkana 2600 Robison Rd. Texarkana, TX 75501 O: 1-903-233-3134 H: 1-903-791-3843 Homepage: https://www.eagle.tamut.edu/faculty/mmccallum/index.html =20
________________________________ From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news on behalf of = Kaduk, Dr J. Sent: Thu 3/9/2006 3:15 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: "Hamerstrom science" (deliberate non-use of statistical = analysis) Well, as much I would like to concurr, I don't think, we can go with = this, mainly because we can neither say what the truth is nor what the best method is = to find out/understand what's going on. Beyond all criticism of a or "the scientific method" I don't think we = can go to "all things are equal" - just see the recent debate about creationism. So I don't think we can divorce "science" from the method for doing it = and the basic philosophical framework. Refutation of Popper or Feyerabend or = not. We should acknowledge that "science" is a certain way to obtain certain = types of knowledge - not more (the best or whatever) and not less. Maybe that wasn't the level Bill wanted to take this - if he commented = more about modelling before measuring or the other way round or maybe just = start from observations - I think there is room for all. The answer to these questions depends more on the maturity of the = theory. If there is well developed theory, there is no excuse for ignoring it. Cheers, Joerg ________________________________ From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news on behalf of = Bill Silvert Sent: Thu 3/9/2006 15:00 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: "Hamerstrom science" (deliberate non-use of statistical = analysis) Nonsense. Science involves understanding what is going on, and some arbitrary definition of "scientific method" is more often a hinderance = than a help. Remember what Einstein said - Nature is subtle but not malicious (Raffiniert is der Herrgott, aber B=F6sehaft ist er nicht). We have to = be clever to unravel these secrets. If we get at the truth we are doing science. Bill Silvert ----- Original Message ----- From: "Malcolm McCallum" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 5:13 AM Subject: Re: "Hamerstrom science" (deliberate non-use of statistical analysis) > Good science is a falicy. Either its science following the scientific = =3D > method or its not science. Period. > I agree with most of the rest of what you said. > =3D20 > Malcolm L. McCallum
