From a wider standpoint, other key criteria that distinguish a scientific theory from pseudo-science are a) repeatability b) explication c) prediction d) postdiction
Repeatability: a theory is not scientific if its predictions are not repeatable (which means, at least, measurable). A one-off result is not science.
Explication: the theory must explain observations that previous theories do not. General relativity explained the precession of the perihelion of Mercury.
Prediction: the theory must predict effects which are not contained in current theories. Quark theory predicted the existence of particles hitherto unknown. When we looked for them, we found them.
Postdiction: the theory must encompass previous theories, Relativity contains Newtonian mechanics as a low-speed, low-acceleration approximation. Quantum mechanics becomes classical mechanics at large length and time scales.
Science is the systematic study of a topic. It uses a methodology called the scientific method to investigate unknowns, and to attempt to find what is real, what is speculation, and what is false. Part of the process is to make predictions based on what is known or suspected, and to test whether the predictions are accurate or not. If they are, it reinforces the hypothesis that the scientist is using. If they are not, then the hypothesis may need to be changed until it CAN make accurate predictions.
Science deals with things that can be counted or quantified. A compound can be said to have a certain percentage of a given element; a fuel will give off a known amount of energy when burned. Some things are harder or impossible to quantify. You can't say that one person is twice as lovely as another, or that a given motorcycle is 50% cooler than a given car. These comparisons are very subjective - that is, they are subject to the judgment of the person doing the comparison.
Repeatability: a theory is not scientific if its predictions are not repeatable (which means, at least, measurable). A one-off result is not science.
Explication: the theory must explain observations that previous theories do not. General relativity explained the precession of the perihelion of Mercury.
Prediction: the theory must predict effects which are not contained in current theories. Quark theory predicted the existence of particles hitherto unknown. When we looked for them, we found them.
Postdiction: the theory must encompass previous theories, Relativity contains Newtonian mechanics as a low-speed, low-acceleration approximation. Quantum mechanics becomes classical mechanics at large length and time scales.
Science is the systematic study of a topic. It uses a methodology called the scientific method to investigate unknowns, and to attempt to find what is real, what is speculation, and what is false. Part of the process is to make predictions based on what is known or suspected, and to test whether the predictions are accurate or not. If they are, it reinforces the hypothesis that the scientist is using. If they are not, then the hypothesis may need to be changed until it CAN make accurate predictions.
Science deals with things that can be counted or quantified. A compound can be said to have a certain percentage of a given element; a fuel will give off a known amount of energy when burned. Some things are harder or impossible to quantify. You can't say that one person is twice as lovely as another, or that a given motorcycle is 50% cooler than a given car. These comparisons are very subjective - that is, they are subject to the judgment of the person doing the comparison.
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