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Understanding Scientific Reasoning

by Ronald Giere

Ronald Giere covers how to analyze and understand media reports of scientific information. This is not a book about learning to reason in scientific fields.

He begins with a general discussion of data, evidence, models and predictions. He delivers short, well-written essay examples of historical cases--DNA, evolution, phlogiston, astrology--and how they fit into the scheme. This discussion takes up 118 pages.

Much of the remainder of the book covers statistics and causal relationships. He shows what correlations are, what determines their strengths. Discussing statistics, he shows how we can go wrong with unrepresentative samples and other errors. Turning to causal claims, he writes about the distinction between correlation and cause. Smoking and Saccharin are two issues he covers in detail.

The last two chapters cover decision-making--options, expected values, outcomes and their ilk.

Most of the material in this work is covered more clearly and concisely in Decision Making: Its Logic and Practice. If you enjoy science writing, his examples should be a pleasure. Giere’s work is like reading a more difficult version of Discover Magazine. Recommended.

—J.T. Fournier

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