On the Nature and Development of the Scientific Method
Dragan Poljak$^1$ and Mirko Jakić$^2$
$^1$Faculty of Electric Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Split
$^2$Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Split
Abstract The paper deals with some historical and philosophical aspects of the emergence and development of the scientific method. First, the very definition of the scientific method is given and then the birth of the method initiated with Galileo's experimental work and the Bacon's induction is discussed. The paper then continues with the Newton's mechanics, his actio in distans concept, his idea of absolute space and time and Leibniz critics of Newton approach. What comes next is development of thermodynamics and electromagnetism featuring the notion of classical field and abandoning of actio in distans concept. This is followed by the philosophical insight beyond the theory of relativity and the quantum physics.
Finally, some essential relations between philosophy and science are stressed out. Also, possible limitations of the scientific method are underlined.
