Babbie's Sacrifice
Babbie indicated eight (8) criteria must be met by a discipline for it to be classified as a science. Identify and discuss this statement.
“Science is best defined as a careful, disciplined, logical search for knowledge about any and all aspects of the universe, obtained by examination of the best available evidence and always subject to correction and improvement upon [the] discovery of better evidence.” – James Randi (1987)
Earl R. Babbie advocated that a discipline became a science when it collectively placed increased emphasis on systematic questioning of an event or situation or occurrence instead of in its description. This may be achieved through discreet observation of a social or natural phenomenon or phenomena; formulation of …show more content…
Navigators and map-makers alike believed that in order to travel from their location – the Eastern Hemisphere, to the Western Hemisphere one should sail east. However, Christopher Columbus’ 1492 accidental voyage disproved this belief since he travelled due west into the Western Hemisphere. Upon his return to Spain, map-makers and navigators alike realized the importance of this discovery. It not only meant that sailors could travel due west into the Western Hemisphere and beyond into the Eastern Hemisphere, but that the earth was round or spherical. As a result of this discovery, geography – the science of the physical nature of the Earth, experienced modification. Modification or change is not always readily accepted in any theory since it implies that other ostensibly sound theories could change. However, no social or scientific theory may endure …show more content…
An example of generalizability in everyday life involves driving. Operating an automobile in traffic requires that drivers make assumptions about the likely outcome of certain actions. When approaching an intersection where one driver is preparing to turn left, the driver going straight through the intersection assumes that the left-turning driver will yield the right of way before turning. The driver passing through the intersection applies this assumption cautiously, recognizing the possibility that the other driver might turn prematurely. Most American drivers also generalize that everyone will drive on the right hand side of the road. Yet if we try to generalize this assumption to other settings, such as England, we will be making a potentially disastrous mistake. Thus, it is obvious that generalizations are necessary for forming coherent interpretations in many different situations, but researchers should not expect their generalizations to operate the same way in every circumstance. With enough evidence they can make predictions about human behavior, yet simultaneously recognize that these assumptions are based on statistical
“Science is best defined as a careful, disciplined, logical search for knowledge about any and all aspects of the universe, obtained by examination of the best available evidence and always subject to correction and improvement upon [the] discovery of better evidence.” – James Randi (1987)
Earl R. Babbie advocated that a discipline became a science when it collectively placed increased emphasis on systematic questioning of an event or situation or occurrence instead of in its description. This may be achieved through discreet observation of a social or natural phenomenon or phenomena; formulation of …show more content…
Navigators and map-makers alike believed that in order to travel from their location – the Eastern Hemisphere, to the Western Hemisphere one should sail east. However, Christopher Columbus’ 1492 accidental voyage disproved this belief since he travelled due west into the Western Hemisphere. Upon his return to Spain, map-makers and navigators alike realized the importance of this discovery. It not only meant that sailors could travel due west into the Western Hemisphere and beyond into the Eastern Hemisphere, but that the earth was round or spherical. As a result of this discovery, geography – the science of the physical nature of the Earth, experienced modification. Modification or change is not always readily accepted in any theory since it implies that other ostensibly sound theories could change. However, no social or scientific theory may endure …show more content…
An example of generalizability in everyday life involves driving. Operating an automobile in traffic requires that drivers make assumptions about the likely outcome of certain actions. When approaching an intersection where one driver is preparing to turn left, the driver going straight through the intersection assumes that the left-turning driver will yield the right of way before turning. The driver passing through the intersection applies this assumption cautiously, recognizing the possibility that the other driver might turn prematurely. Most American drivers also generalize that everyone will drive on the right hand side of the road. Yet if we try to generalize this assumption to other settings, such as England, we will be making a potentially disastrous mistake. Thus, it is obvious that generalizations are necessary for forming coherent interpretations in many different situations, but researchers should not expect their generalizations to operate the same way in every circumstance. With enough evidence they can make predictions about human behavior, yet simultaneously recognize that these assumptions are based on statistical