In Science We Trust! WHY?

Q: Is it common for scientists to question their own work?

Krishna: 

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WHY?

These days any scientific work is a team work. We discuss things, raise several questions, argue, , think about what others say, critically think about our own theories, dissect the complete work, study it thoroughly using all the available parameters and conditions, try to falsify it and only after getting satisfactory analysis and answers from all the members of the team, we try to publish it.

Before and even after publishing it, we invite peer-reviews, falsifications, challenges, criticisms, and reproductions.

Scientists question their own work to maintain scientific integrity, ensuring their results are accurate and reliable by critically examining their methods, data, and conclusions, which is a fundamental aspect of the scientific process and promotes skepticism to identify potential flaws or biases in their research.

Reasons for scientists question their own work:

To Follow Scientific Method: We follow the scientific method which encourages constant questioning and critical analysis throughout the research process, from forming a hypothesis to interpreting data.

To make it highly valid: Before publishing our findings, we submit our work to peer review where other experts in the field scrutinize the methods and results, prompting them to address potential weaknesses. This makes the work highly valid.

To Avoiding Bias: By actively questioning our own work, we can minimize the influence of personal biases on the interpretations.

To make the Replication process easy : Questioning one's own research encourages attempts to replicate findings in different settings to verify their validity.

To Make Progress in Science: The ability to identify flaws in one's own research is crucial for advancing scientific knowledge by opening doors to new investigations and discoveries.

To avoid failures: And when somebody disproves you using evidence, you accept it with humility, bow your head in respect and move on, even if you have to abandon your whole life’s hard work. So we try our best to avoid such situations and failures.

These things are a ‘must’, not ‘common’ if you are a genuine scientist.

That is the beauty of science. That is why it is highly ‘progressive’ in nature. That is the reason why it is so much trust worthy.

Now show me any other field where you have so many filters to establish facts.