Scribbled Musings

An important attribute of science is the right to question. Knowledge advances and science progresses because people exercise their right to question.

However, to question existing knowledge ( for e.g. a fact or a law arrived at throught the method of science ) without any rational basis, is as unscientific as never to question at all.

The reasons for your questioning may be :

• a flaw you have found in an earlier argument or example
• a known observation which you can show to be incompatible with the fact or the law
• an alternative explanation you have found for the evidence on which the fact or the law was based
• new evidence you have discovered which is incompatible with the fact or the law

The question may arise out of careful observation or analysis of existing knowledge. If you have framed your question properly, you are already on your way to finding an answer. A well framed question is one, to answer which , means are available within the framework of the method of science. Such a question should lead to a hypothesis which can be tested by an experiment. The more carefully you observe, the better framed your question would be. ( Going through the someone’s belongings is a really confusing job because every piece of paper is part of a jumble that you are trying to piece together, but are unable to do so, as you do not have the complete picture as an aid. I found this piece of description on a scrap paper in my father’s handwriting. )