Throughout my teaching career, I have started classes with a discussion or field project regarding the scientific method. I do this because it is important for every citizen to understand what is and what is not science. Simply put, science is a problem-solving method that we all use every day. In fact, you couldn't get through the day alive without the scientific method. For example, the red light. We know from observation (data) that green means go, red means stop, and yellow means "go like hell." This hypothesis (model or understanding) is repeated over and over again, and by others (peer review), showing that the model is the best understanding of the meaning of red light colors. If you think red means leave, that's fine, but it might not turn out very well for you.

These days, we're experiencing something of a crisis of overconfidence, rooted in access to information on our phones that isn't necessarily verified by the scientific method. We need to help people understand the importance of using this method and be willing to reject their models, their understandings, when data and repeated testing, especially by others, show their models to be incorrect. This is difficult to do, but it is essential to logic, reason, and a well-supported position on any subject.

In geology, I take students into the field and have them experience the scientific method for themselves. This video provides an example of how to approach a rock exposure to answer the question "Is the Earth young?" / » By reviewing the observable data and thinking logically about the time it takes for sediment to accumulate, lithify to form a rock. , burial and folding of rock and exhumation of it so that we can see it on the surface today, the Earth must be extraordinarily old. No need for isotopic age dates or other data, just what can be observed and explained by logic and reason, the scientific method! This approach is less confrontational for those who believe the Earth is young, it fills them with direct data, and can lead to deeper exploration of the subject using the scientific method.

Share this video with your friends and neighbors, and let's get back on track using the scientific method to inform public discourse!

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