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Where can scientific methods be used
The areas traditionally thought of as science are physics, chemistry, biology and related areas. But scientific methods can be and have been used in areas far removed from a laboratory, and the traditional distinction between "arts" and "science" subjects is not necessarily helpful. History is not generally considered as part of science, but many people would include archaeology in science, and historians place emphasis on good sources i.e. good evidence. Law is not generally considered as part of science, but forensic science clearly is.

As an example of scientific methods used outside a laboratory, the possible benefits of screening women for breast cancer using mammography were explored in Scandinavia by allocating geographical areas at random to having breast screening or to not having breast screening.

Another example is the scientific studies of happiness [1].

For further examples of the use of scientific methods of study, here are two excerpts from Counter Power by Tim Gee [2] :
...a recent study of 67 different revolutions found that levels of democratic rights were far higher in countries that had used nonviolent methods to achieve democracy [3].

Another piece of research, looking at the myriad revolutions in Africa between 1989 and 1994, concludes that democratization occurred most frequently in countries that liberalized following mass political protests, rather than through bloody revolution or coups.

This indicates that some ways in which well-meaning, outside countries can support democratic revolutions may be better than others, and that scientific methods of careful observation and so on can be used wherever we want to get to a correct answer.

If we want to answer questions as accurately as possible, there seem to be no limits on where scientific methods might be used. In particular, why should we not use scientific methods in public policy making? See www.whatisscience.info/9.html.

References

[1] Sonja Lyubomirsky (2007) The How of Happiness ISBN 978-0-7499-5246-4
[2] Tim Gee (2011) Counter Power: Making Change Happen New Internationalist Publications Ltd, Oxford, UK http://newint.org/books/politics/counterpower/
[3] Adrian Karatnycky and Peter Ackerman (2005) How Freedom is Won: From Civic Struggle to Durable Democracy Freedom House, Washington http://www.freedomhouse.org/article/study-nonviolent-civic-resistance-key-factor-building-durable-democracies








Last updated: 17 Apr 2018