Exploration and Discovery: Where Ideas Come From

What scientific attitudes help generate new ideas?

Scientific methodology is closely linked to exploration and discovery, as shown in Figure 1–5. Recall that scientific methodology starts with observations and questions. But where do those observations and questions come from in the first place? They may be inspired by scientific attitudes, practical problems, and new technology.

Scientific Attitudes Good scientists share scientific attitudes, or habits of mind, that lead them to exploration and discovery. Curiosity, skepticism, open-mindedness, and creativity help scientists generate new ideas.

▸ Curiosity A curious researcher, for example, may look at a salt marsh and immediately ask, “What's that plant? Why is it growing here?” Often, results from previous studies also spark curiosity and lead to new questions.

▸ Skepticism Good scientists are skeptics, which means that they question existing ideas and hypotheses, and they refuse to accept explanations without evidence. Scientists who disagree with hypotheses design experiments to test them. Supporters of hypotheses also undertake rigorous testing of their ideas to confirm them and to address any valid questions raised.

▸ Open-Mindedness Scientists must remain open-minded, meaning that they are willing to accept different ideas that may not agree with their hypothesis.

▸ Creativity Researchers also need to think creatively to design experiments that yield accurate data.

FIGURE 1–5 The Process of Science As the arrows indicate, the different aspects of science are interconnected—making the process of science dynamic, flexible, and unpredictable.