What is the Scientific Method? Compiled by Jeff Green, 2025
Below is a downloadable PDF compiling a broad selection of respected academic and institutional sources that unambiguously clarify the true nature of the scientific method. This is especially important given the persistent—and incredibly misguided—claims by the “No-Virus” community who foolishly insist that the scientific method is a rigid, inflexible set of rules, devoid of creativity or adaptation.
Such assertions betray a fundamental ignorance of how science actually functions. The scientific method is not a mechanical checklist; it is a dynamic, iterative process that relies on creativity, critical thinking, and the ability to adapt principles to the complexities of real-world inquiry. Science thrives on flexibility and innovation, not blind adherence to a fixed formula.
By no means is this a complete or comprehensive list of sources, but it is more than sufficient to expose the intellectual laziness behind claims that science operates by strict, unvarying rules.
The next time someone tries to push this nonsense—that science is locked into a strict, one-size-fits-all method—send them this PDF. Let it serve as a firm rebuttal based on overwhelming scholarly consensus. For all intents and purposes, this debate should now be considered closed.
This is a useful compilation. It seems some, like Tom Cowan, when they see the word "flexibility" immediately jump to "permission to make up nonsense" like he did with his greenies example.
I asked Claude AI the question: "Is the scientific method a strict set of rules that must be carefully followed to yield reliable information?"
Here are the last two paragraphs of the response:
"What makes science reliable isn't strict adherence to a single method, but rather the broader scientific culture of skepticism, reproducibility, transparency, and peer review. Scientists are expected to document their methods, share their data, and submit their work for scrutiny by others. This collective process of validation and criticism helps identify errors and build reliable knowledge over time.
The key insight is that scientific thinking--being systematic, evidence-based, and open to revision--matters more than following a specific procedural checklist. The "method" is better understood as a set of values and practices that promote objectivity and reliability, rather than a cookbook of mandatory steps."