X-Message-Number: 7175
Date: 20 Nov 96 02:17:34 EST
From: Paul Wakfer <>
Subject: SCI.CRYONICS Re: guidelines

Bob Ettinger wrote:

>1. Steve offers a "definition" of the "scientific method" which is juvenile,
>and which leads him to exclude certain areas of life and thought from
>"science." Actually, NO area of life or thought need be excluded from the
>"scientific method", or should be. 
>
>One can find many definitions of "science" or the "scientific method"
>offered by famous scientists. The best is that of Paul Bridgman, who said
>that the essence of science is just to "do the best you can with your mind,
>no holds barred." I believe I improve this by saying that the essence of the
>scientific method is just HONESTY (facing the facts) and RESOURCEFULNESS
>(devising ways to find facts and apply them toward one's goals). 

IMO, this definition is *much* more "juvenile than Steve's, for it attempts
to replace a definition which is narrow enough to be useful with something
that is so broad and obvious that it is little more than an admonition to be
realistic and rational. Of course, operating in the fashion you have
described is certainly the best way to approach reality and when using the
scientific method (or doing almost anything else for that matter) one should
certainly operate that way. However, the scientific method to which Steve was
referring is a much narrower and more useful idea usually including the
conducting of experiments to validate hypotheses. It is *this* notion of
scientific method which has produced the bountiful scientific progress of the
past few centuries; and it is this scientific method which has been so sorely
lacking in cryonics.


-- Paul -- Phone: 416-968-6291  Pager: 800-805-2870

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