Originally Posted by
Lotz-A-Landies
Am I missing something here? :confused:
I thought in scientific research you have a hypothesis you need to prove. Then you design your experiment to prove the hypothesis.
It's a very poor scientist who designs an experiment that doesn't prove his hypothesis.
So in the end your research comes out with the answer that you wanted in the first place. Once it's been published in a peer reviewed journal and cited by two other scientists in subsequent articles published in other peer reviewed journals, then it becomes a fact!
The most important thing you need to do is decide what you want to find before you start the research.
Isn't that the way it works?
BTW: I studied with many people doing ecology and zoology who were already members of the green movement and in spite of the education some of these people were receiving the outcome was already known and unchangeable.
Some of the most zealous amongst them were un-moved in their opinions by the starving millions throughout the world, but horrified by the thought of the damage a bushwalker may do to micro-environments in wilderness areas should the bushwalker thoughtlessly discard an apple core!
Some of these same people are now leaders of the animal welfare and green movements.