ASSIGNMENT
Show
your acquaintance with various methods of knowing. Why is science considered
the most trustworthy among those methods? Argue with suitable examples.
Human beings have
incredible mind to question and reason on anything that is around us. Our
curious nature needs strong and valid explanation regarding what is a part of
us. In today's era, there's reason for almost everything that exists. It is
natural for us to question on certain things to gain more information. This
process has been continuing since ancient times. That's why there are certain
methods of knowing. Among many philosophers and researchers, Kerlinger has identified
four methods of knowing :
1.
Tenacity
2.
Authority
3.
Intuition
4.
Science
1)
Tenacity:
Tenacity believes that any information what has been considered valid
information is always true. The information received is from the unknown source
though. This method believes something which has been believed by others since
the ancient time ( believing the ancestors). Validity of certain statement is due to its
tradition or belief. This method gives importance to the antiquity of the
source. There is no question raised regarding any information hence there are
high chances of having error information.
2)
Authority:
In this method, questions are asked. Not why? or how? but who said that?
Statements are believed on the basis of the authoritative values of the source.
Sources could be sacred books or authority holding person. However the
authority for one person may not have the same importance/value to the other.
For example- Hinduism followers believe the virtues of Lord Ram in Ramayana but
the follower of Christianity or Muslims do not. In this method too, there are
chances of error, i.e. this method could not be trustworthy to some people.
3)
Intuition:
Intuition refers to the use of mind or intellect. Questions are raised from all
direction and answers are searched or found on the basis of our intellect.
Conclusions are based on our experiences. However, the limitation of this
method is that our experience is subjected, i.e. different for different
people. This method is superior than the method of tenacity and authority but
the logical statements to one person could be error to another person. There is
a chance of not being systematic too.
4)
Science:
The method of science has been created to understand the causal relation of any
matter. Science is free from the weaknesses the earlier methods had. It is free
from the prone to error that the earlier methods had. There are questions
raised from all directions at any time asked. The statements in science are
always objective. Processes involved are always systematic and verifiable. In
science, there is the ability to repeat the same phenomenon (replicable), can
be perceived by our senses (empirical), and are based on logic and evidences.
The following
characteristics of science helps to prove that science is the most trustworthy
method of knowing:
·
Objective:- Objective refers to be based
on hardcore facts. Objectiveness requires open-mindedness. It demands that one
must set aside all sorts of the subjective considerations and prejudices. For
example- every data and amount of matter should be accurate to get the accurate
results.
·
Systematic:- Science considers and
observes all the aspects of a particular phenomenon as a whole in a
step-by-step process. A scientific research adopts a certain sequential
procedure, an organized plan or design of research for collecting and analysis
of facts about the problem under study. This process minimizes error to occur.
·
Verifiable:- Scientific method is always
verifiable and justifiable at any time. Anybody can question anything at
anytime. It can be tested whether it is true or not. To be able to verify any
experiments is one of the strongest aspect of science. For example- we can
verify that Sodium(Na) and Chloride(Cl) are combined together to form salt (NaCl).
·
Empirical:- Empiricism refers to the
information gained by experience, observation or experiment. The facts are
believed through the identification of or senses. It relates to the direct
sense of perception. Our sense of touch, smell, sight, sound and taste is used
to experiment on scientific study. For example- we identify a chemical to be
argon if it has pungent smell. Likewise we know ice is cold because we can feel
it.
·
Logical:- Logical means something that
are reasonable. Scientific study requires analyzing something based on facts.
For example- we don't wear black clothes on the desert because of the fact that
black color absorbs heat faster and more compared to other colors.
·
Replicable:- In science, the theories
could be replaced or repeated by stronger theories. To verify something it is
important that it should be replicable and can be repeated many times. For
example - Einstein's black hole theory was replicated by Stephen Hawking.
Science is considered as the most trustworthy method because the above mentioned characteristics of
science prevents error to a very minimum level.
Reference:
Adhikary, N.M.
“Understanding Mass Media Research”. Kathmandu: Prashanti
Class lectures of
"Research Methodology" by Dr. Nirmala Mani Adhikari
