How do scientific displines differ from nonscientific displines?

Answer 1

Science is a discipline following the "scientific method" to advance its knowledge. The scientific method was introduced first by the Italian scientist Galileo Galilei and refined along the centuries up to the present form, that was introduced in its fullness by Karl Popper, an Austrian philosopher.

The scientific method uses experiments and theory.

A scientific experiment is the observation of a natural phenomenon regulated by the following rules:

1 - It is a quantitative observation, that is the result of an experiment is one or more relations among physical quantities expressed through their numerical values.

2 - The experimental procedure is exactly defined and described so that it can be repeated in different places and by different persons.

3 - The measurement errors are clearly defined by studying the characteristics of the measure and of the measurement instruments.

4 - Everywhere the experiment is repeated it provides the same results within the measurement errors.

A scientific theory is a set of mathematical relationships between measurable physical entities that allows experimental outcomes to be anticipated.

The scientific method is constituted by the following steps:

1 - From a set of different experiment a scientific theory is elaborated on the ground of the observed natural behaviour.

2 - The scientific theory is verified to correctly reproduce all the known experimental outcomes.

3- The theory is capable to suggest the so called "falsifying experiments". They are one or more new experiments, never carried out, whose results are anticipated by the theory.

4- The falsifying experiments are carried out and it is verified that the theory is able to correctly anticipate their outcome. In this case the theory is not yet falsified and can be used to anticipate whatever experiment in its field.

5- If a falsifying experiment is not correctly forecast by the theory, it is not false, but the limits of its validity are found. Up to that moment the theory is considered usable within its limits, while out of them it does not reproduces correctly the nature behavior.

An example is Newtonian mechanics. Up to the end of 1800 all natural phenomena was thought to be included into this theory. At the beginning of 1900 several experiments were not correctly anticipated by the Newton theory and its limits were discovered. Today we go on using it to design cars, motors and so on, since all these applications are into its field of validity.

We also know that, when atomic dimensions or very high speeds near the light speed are considered, it is no more suited and other theories have to be used.