THE METHOD OF SCIENCE 49 



or, if necessary, into new ideas; sometimes new facts force the 

 revision and change of accepted ideas. The methods used in 

 different branches of science are to some extent peculiar to 

 each, and the tests required to justify the acceptance of an 

 idea as vaUd are selected by those working in each branch. 

 Thus, as Polanyi says, "Science consists of autonomous 

 branches, ruled by their several systems of ideas; each of these 

 is continuously producing new minor propositions suitable 

 for scientific verification; and by these verifications they are 

 being steadily strengthened and revised." * 



The methods of scientific research are analyzed by W. H. 

 George in his book, The Scientist in Action.-f He defines 

 scientific research as a form of human action, and science, 

 that is, ordered knowledge, as a product of the activity of 

 human beings. But it is not a product of the activity of all 

 human beings; it is only a special and very limited class 

 of human beings Avho can produce scientific knowledge. 



The first qualification of a scientist is often said to be curi- 

 osity, that is, a scientist is interested in the observation of 

 facts; but this alone does not distinguish scientists. If it did, 

 there w^ould be far more scientists than there are, since curi- 

 osity is a very common characteristic of human beings. A 

 scientist not only observes facts but has an instinctive desire 

 to classify them and set them in order. It is by this classifi- 

 cation of facts that science progresses. 



The mere observation of facts is not by any means a simple 

 operation. To be of value, facts must be generally received 

 by different observers as true or acceptable; and this, of 

 course, accords with the practice of scientific research, that 

 facts about which there is any doubt must be checked by 

 different observers and discrepancies must be reconciled. If 

 various observers cannot agree as to the facts, it is customary 



* M. Polanyi, Rights and Duties of Science, p. 175, the Manchester 

 School of Economic and Social Studies, Manchester, England, October 

 1939. 



f \V. H. George, The Scientist in Action, London, Williams and 

 Norgate, Ltd., 1936. 



