What is Science

Science means objectively and abstractly understanding of phenomenon/events and
objectively collects the data and information about these events under the standardized
conditions. Science itself doesn’t a subject, the subject which uses the scientific method
for the investigation and research is called science. Many subjects called science because
they use scientific method for investigation. Now psychology is also a science because its
studies depend upon scientific investigation. To prove the psychology as a science firstly
we will try to understand the meaning of science and scientific method, that what are the
assumptions, canons, conditions and procedure of science and scientific method?
The Four Basic Tenets of Science
Before the understanding and description of psychology as a science, we need the
understanding about basic canons (standards) of science. It is important to know the four
primary principles that come into view to be accepted by almost all scientists.
 Determinism
The first standard of science is the determinism; it means that any event or phenomena
has meaningful and systematic causes. Scientists have to follow the canon of determinism
in order to keep the logic of science, if they do not follow then orderly, systematic causes
would not exist.
 Empiricism
The second principle of science is empiricism; too simply empiricism means to make
observation of events or phenomena, but in deep logic of pure science empiricism means
the deductive analysis of events. This is the best way to find out the orderly principle to
explore the events to identify the causes. Empiricism or observation is favorite tool for
both scientist and psychologists (social scientists).
 Parsimony
The third essential supposition of science to which most scientific schools of thoughts are
agreed is parsimony, is often referred to as Occam’s razor, because most of argument
about parsimony were made by English philosopher William of Occam. According to the
principle of parsimony the scientific theories and investigations should be simple,
concise, focused, and should avoid unnecessary concepts and explanations.
Approximately all scientists have the same opinion that if we have any problem with
solution of two theories and both are equal in their work then we should prefer the
simpler, parsimonious theory to make empirical observation. The inner and centered
tender of parsimony canon is to keep continue the process of investigation or theory until
to make it as simple and focused as possible. Psychology as a behavior science also
follows the role of science called parsimony in the development of theories as well as in
investigations.
Testability
The ultimate and chief tenet of science is the supposition that scientific theories are
supposed to be testable by using present accessible research techniques. Here testability
and research techniques are indication of empiricism and falsifiability. Falsifiability
means that researchers do extra work to examine the every dimension and concepts of
theory in order to seek that theory could be false. In social science or in psychology, the
concepts of testability and falsifiability are extremely significant for psychologists,
because many important and most running theories like the theory of Freud and work of
post-Freudian are much difficult to put them any kind of objective observation or test.