djf

What makes science so great? What special methods does it use to determine something exists in the observed reality? As far as I can tell in order for something to exist in science it must be observed and to be logically consistent. Are there any more requirements? Oh, and most importantly why does science demand more than a simple observation? Why does it also have to be logical?

The Dionysian

<a href="http://teacher.nsrl.rochester.edu/phy_labs/AppendixE/AppendixE.html" target="_blank">http://teacher.nsrl.rochester.edu/phy_labs/AppendixE/AppendixE.html</a>

Here's a good introduction to the scientific method.

doubtingt

The goal of all scientific method is to eliminate all competing explanations, until we are left with one that cannot be eliminated despite our best efforts. To do this, we must have an objective criteria against which ideas and theories can be judged. Observable events are the only such criteria that exist.
Science employs every means available to eliminate the influence of subjective bias in the recording and interpretation of events.

Logic is needed in order to determine what observable predictions a theory will make and to
determine the implications that any observation has for a specific theory.
Observations and the methods used to make them are the premises and our theories our the conclusion of an argument. Logical reasoning tells us the degree to which the observations support or contradict our theoretical conclusion and what other alternative conclusions could be drawn from the same observations.

Thomas

Nu

I would say science has an excellent track record of identifing reality. Look at all the technology of the past 300 or so years. Planes wouldn't fly and nukes wouldn't explode if our understanding of physics wasn't reasonably accurate.

tronvillain

djf, if science was merely observation, then it would only produce a collection of unrelated observations. Reason is required to extract regularities, connect observations within an explanatory framework, and make predictions.