Forms of scientific knowledge

Scientific knowledge is a complex system. It consists of a huge number of interconnected components. It is about judgments, concepts, conclusions, categories, laws and principles of science. These components are relatively simple. In addition to these, there are more complex forms of scientific knowledge. It's about theory, hypothesis and problem.

Levels and forms of scientific knowledge

Consider everything in order. The basic forms of cognition include the problem. It is worth starting with the fact that in the development of scientific knowledge there always arises a situation connected with the fact that phenomena appear that can not simply be explained in the ways that were used before. The reason is that the scientific categorical apparatus, like existing knowledge, periodically out of date. This situation is called problematic. The scientific problem is posed after recognition of the existence of a contradiction between the need for further development and the limited knowledge available at the moment.

The problem is usually called a question or a set of issues that arise objectively in the course of the development of knowledge. It is understood that the solution of such moments is of theoretical or practical interest.

The problem has much in common with the question, but no one ever identifies these concepts. The bottom line is that the question can be solved with the help of knowledge developed by another science.

The development of science is carried out by posing problems and finding ways and means to solve them. As a result of this process, all kinds of methodological and theoretical ideas are often changed. Often, there is a change of existing and universally accepted dogmas.

Forms of scientific knowledge include a hypothesis. The bottom line is that it is from her nomination that a study of the problems arises. In general, it should be noted that the hypothesis is nothing more than a reasonable assumption, which is advanced in order to clarify the regularities, as well as the causes of the phenomena under consideration.

The forms of scientific knowledge are important all without exception. The meaning of the hypothesis is that it is not just an assumption, but an assumption scientifically grounded. This, in principle, it first and foremost differs from all sorts of guesses. It always relies on theories, facts, evidence and so on.

The hypothesis has its own characteristics. These include maximum simplicity, verifiability, and more. Each hypothesis goes through three stages. These include the construction in which the collection and initial verification of the necessary material takes place, a test in which all the resulting consequences are examined, a proof in which all the assumptions made are substantiated by existing facts.

In the end, any proposed scientific hypothesis should be refuted or proven. The proven hypothesis becomes a scientific theory.

The scientific theory is also included in the forms of scientific knowledge. In the broad sense, it means a specific kind of spiritual activity, which is aimed specifically at acquiring new and improving old knowledge. In this case, the theoretical activity will have much in common with the practical.

In general, the theory as a form of scientific knowledge is always considered as a form of reliable organized knowledge about a specific subject area that describes, explains, predicts the development, as well as the functioning of objects related to this field. An important function of the theory is the organization of knowledge.