SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE

Scientific knowledge comes from the need to solve a problem or explain a phenomenon using facts.

However, we need to ensure that the conclusions reached match reality. If we do not, the knowledge we find would not be scientific.

The figure below shows a simplified diagram of these methods, which we call the ‘scientific method.’

Scientific knowledge is what emerges from studying phenomena with the scientific method.

Scientific knowledge adheres to the following criteria:

• It is a human construction to which many people have contributed over history.

Analyse

• What is a hypothesis?

• What must a hypothesis do to become scientific knowledge?

• It develops through rigorous working methods based on the scientific method.

• It is based on experiment; it can never be based on beliefs, intuitions or assumptions.

• It must match reality and it must be possible to replicate as many times as necessary.

Sciences and pseudosciences

Sometimes people try to pass off non-scientific knowledge as scientific. These ideas are called pseudoscience (false science. One example is astrology, which has no scientific basis or predictive power.