Abstract
The most crucial goal that has been targeted in all research studies in the past few years has been toward prevention of problems. The scientific method is a stringent and proven procedure, which can be used to determine the most probable evidence to back up an environmental phenomenon. The proposition is usually made in a cause-and-effect phenomenon. Such a proposition is known as a ‘hypothesis’. The method used for testing the hypothesis is termed ‘experimentation’. This procedure is comprised of five elementary and significant steps. The most salient aspect that renders the scientific methods most popular is the fact that it provides the most reliable information on the cause-and-effect phenomena in environmental studies. Environmental studies, as a subject, has procured the base of scientific knowledge and exploration due to the advent of the scientific era. Prior to this, the discovery and its expanse were limited to traditional understanding and common knowledge base. There are several inherent limitations to the traditional knowledge bank that exists in the lore. This would then cause misinterpretations in the analysis of several environmental problems. There are several versions of the scientific method that are used to analyse the scientific evidence. However, the most commonly used method is that which is based on the essential concept and in its essential and elementary form. The scientific method, which is most essential, is that it compels all hypothetical theories to be either proven right or eliminated as baseless. There were several theories that came before the original scientific method, which did not depend on hypothesis testing and were purely indicative of traditional knowledge.
Introduction
Several researchers, who are patrons of traditional ecological knowledge or TEK, endorse its advantages on two or more levels such as the enhancement of research in the science and management subjects (Freeman & Carbyn, 1988), identifying novel prototypes of nature and the human relationship with the elements of the natural world (Colorado, 1996), and a vast change in the societal perspective of holistic development (Huntington, 2000). The scientific method generally has four distinct stages or steps in the development of a theory or the formulation of a concept (“The scientific method and environmentalism 2.0”, 2014). The following are the major steps of the scientific method for the analysis of ecological problems:
1. Observation and analysis of phenomena and the explanation behind the concepts:
The primary question that needs to be answered from the point of view of a researcher is the solution to the main cause behind the specific effect. Particular effects in nature need to be studied and analysed (“The scientific method and environmentalism 2.0”, 2014). There are several effects of phenomena including diseases and pathology. For instance, the pathology of several epidemics including cholera was unknown at the time of their incidence in nature. The epidemiology of the disease was not known to scientists at the time although the rate of mortality was very high in the population. Scientific approaches are more vital in the understanding of epidemics as they provide a scientific methodology and analysis to every problem.
2. Formulation of hypothesis to the problem: The most common theory that was formulated was that of the dominant Miasma theory. This theory was a breakthrough in the area of understanding cholera. The theory suggested that cholera was caused by a harmful type of mist and pollution in the air. The term Miasma was considered as a vapour or mist in the air that is poisonous in nature. This mist is composed of matter called miasmata, which is decomposed matter, and this was responsible for causing the pathological reaction and illnesses. This method of scientific research also concluded that diseases were actually derivatives of environmental contaminators such as water, air, poor hygiene, and other conditions of the environment. These vapours that caused the pathology were present dominantly in a particular contaminated area that leads to the rise of these vapours. These areas are then naturally abundant in all the contamination factors. The presence of these factors is indicated by the foul smell. The research involved the analysis of various factors that are responsible for the pathology of the disease. During the presence of a virulent strain of an epidemic such as cholera, various data points were collected and analysed. The research covered deaths due to cholera and the data points included all the deaths that occurred due to cholera (“The scientific method and environmentalism 2.0”, 2014).
3. Testing the hypothesis and design of the experiment: The further step is testing the hypothesis that has been formulated. The experiment was devised to make it rather elementary and involves the basic research that surrounds this aspect. The design of the experiment has to involve testing all the nuances of the initially formulated hypothesis. The hypothesis must be reflected in all terms so as to understand the elements that can be incorporated or validated in the tested theory. The hypothesis and the theories need to be either verified or eliminated as improbable. In disease pathology and cases such as cholera, it is essential to eliminate the differences found in the theory. The design of the experiment must be valid and expansive. The environmental factors and contamination factors that involve the pathology and the development of the disease have to be assessed. These environmental factors are largely responsible for the cause of the disease. Design characteristics of the experiment are reliant on the various causative factors of the experiment. Environmental factors such as air, water, and soil are responsible for the development of pathology. The similarity of symptoms between the diseases and the causative pathological factors are collectively responsible for the experiment design. The parameters of design of the experimental setup determine the ecological knowledge which is the background of the study (“The scientific method and environmentalism 2.0”, 2014).
Performing the experiment: After the experimental setup is complete, the experiment is conducted. The experiment has to be executed with all the parameters that assess the hypothesis for all the factors that are expected to be a part of the disease pathology. The progression of the disease is brought about from the environmental factors around the locales of the persistent case studies. Research has established a major connection between the locale of the incidence of the disease and the contaminators present in the environment. Environmental factors are mostly analysed with the traditional knowledge present among environmentalists and the patrons of traditional knowledge. Ecological knowledge is traditional and inherent among these patrons and they believe the knowledge helps understand what leads to the development of the disease. The disease pathology is a progression of the experimental method. The performance of the experiment is based on the factual details of the environmental conditions and thus, research becomes factually proven. The experiment is designed to test the aspects of the hypothesis as generated in the theoretical explanation. The performance of the experimental setup is analysed with the progression of the experiment (“The scientific method and environmentalism 2.0”, 2014).
4. Acceptance, Rejection, or Modification of the hypothesis: The final stage is the analysis of the results of the experiment. The data points are tested for validity and the rationale for the development of the disease pathology and environmental phenomena are assessed. Once the hypothesis testing stage is completed, all the aspects of the hypothesis are either validated, rejected, or modified. The theory suggests the perspectives of the researchers based on the conditions present at the time of the hypothesis generation. The hypothesis is tested fully during the stage of performance of the experiment. When the experiment is being performed, if the conditions of the environment have changed, sometimes the hypothesis needs to be modified. If the basis of the hypothesis itself is rendered invalid, the hypothesis is rejected. In case of experiment performance, the design parameters are all dependent on the environment conditions (Huntington, 2000).
Scientific method in problem solving: The example stated above is that of an endemic, the other parameters of environment can also be analysed by similar scientific methods (“The scientific method and environmentalism 2.0”, 2014). The primary method of problem solving is as follows:
The general criterion is the analysis of cause of the problem with the route to the effects of the problem
Distinguishing between the present state of the problem and the goal state of the problem
Goal state is devoid of problems that exist in the state of hypothesis. Therefore, the solution has to transport the problem to the goal state.
Scientific methods are thus, very important in analysing the problems associated with the environment and the crisis of problem solving.
References
Colorado, P. (1996). Indigenous science, ReVision 18 0 6–10.
Freeman, M. M. R., & Carbyn, L. N. (1988). Traditional knowledge and renewable resource management in northern regions, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Boreal Institute for Northern Studies.
Huntington, H. P., (2000), Using traditional ecological knowledge in science: methods and applications, Ecological Applications, 10 (5): 1270-1274.
Thwink.org (2014), The scientific method and environmentalism 2.0, Retrieved from http://www.thwink.org/sustain/glossary/ScientificMethod.htm
