The Scientific Mind: Ever Searching, Never Certain

Authors

  • Leonard N. Ezegbunam The College of the Bahamas

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15362/ijbs.v6i0.12

Keywords:

Teaching, Physics

Abstract

This article examines the nature of scientific thought and looks at how "the scientific method" has propelled mankind's understanding of natural phenomena from the embryonic metaphysics to the present-day quantum and plasma physics. The scientific mind is always in search of ways to improve the present knowledge about nature, and is never satisfied that the present knowledge is "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth". "Science is grounded on a firm foundation of doubt" - Don Cupitt. "The moderns have subjected the phenomena of nature to the laws of mathematics" - Isaac Newton. The scholastic adage, "all men by nature desire to know" has driven philosophers, from as far back as the Aristotelian era, to ponder the question "what are the conditions of knowing?", Or, simply put "how do you know that you know something?” Under what conditions can something be called knowledge?

Author Biography

Leonard N. Ezegbunam, The College of the Bahamas

Lecturer and Coordinator of the Department of Physics Division of Natural Sciences College of The Bahamas

References

Barkow, B. (1990). The history of science. In I. Crofton (Ed.), The Guinness encyclopedia. Guinness World Records Limited.

Brownhill, R. (1983). Education and the nature of knowledge. Croom Helm.

Lockett, K. (1990). Physics in the real world. Cambridge University Press.

Russell, J. E. (1965). Change and challenge in American education. Houghton Mifflin and Co.

Salem, A. (1984, October 8-12). Opening address. International Conference on Physics for Development, International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy.

Stein, P. K. (1964). Measurement engineering Vol. I.: Basic principles. (3rd ed.). Stein Engineering Services.

College Forum

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Published

2008-02-15

Issue

Vol. 6 (1994): College Forum

Section

Original Articles

License

The IJBS is an open access journal that does not charge article processing fees. As such, copyright is retained by the author. Authors may freely distribute their article as long as reference to the publication of the article in International Journal of Bahamian Studies is retained. A Creative Commons License is applicable to the IJBS.