Health Sciences 2801A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Null Hypothesis, Paradigm Shift, Normal Science
Document Summary
According to popper, a scientific hypothesis must be stated in a way that allows it to be falsified by observation. It must predict what the observed outcome will be and describe it with sufficient specificity to enable the identification of other outcomes that are contrary to the hypothesis. Hypothesis universal statement about the world that describes all instances of something. Universal statement something that cannot be proven by observation, but falsified by observation. Claims that falsification is a fundamental principle of science and falsifiability is an essential characteristic of a scientific hypothesis. Thomas kuhn states that behaviours can fall under normal science or extraordinary science. Normal science scientists accept the existing theories and experiment with them in order to solve scientific puzzles. Extraordinary science scientists deliberately question the existing theories and perform experiments in order to refute them. Science is primarily composed of long periods of normal science w/ relatively short periods of extraordinary science.