Over a one-week period, there is a rapid increase in the number of patients entering the emergency room complaining of high fever, lethargy, muscle aches and diarrhea or vomiting. Which method of scientific inquiry would the doctors use to determine the root cause of the reported illness and why? Would it be discovery science or hypothesis-based science?
I think it uses both. First, when you collect data by observing the patients, it's discovery science. Then, when you make a specific hypothesis, it's hypothesis-based science. Is this correct?
To determine the root cause of the reported illness, doctors would typically employ hypothesis-based science rather than discovery science.
Discovery science, also known as descriptive science or observational science, involves making observations, collecting data, and analyzing patterns or correlations in the data. This method is often used to describe and explore natural phenomena, but it does not involve forming specific hypotheses or conducting experiments to test those hypotheses.
In the given scenario, on the other hand, the doctors are faced with a specific problem: identifying the underlying cause of the reported illness. To do so, they would need to formulate hypotheses and design experiments or investigations to test those hypotheses. Hypothesis-based science is a systematic approach that involves making predictions and testing them through experiments or observations to evaluate potential explanations or causes.
In this case, the doctors might develop hypotheses based on various factors such as common symptoms, possible sources of contamination, recent occurrences in the community, or other relevant information. They would then conduct targeted investigations or experiments to gather evidence and evaluate the validity of these hypotheses.
By using hypothesis-based science, the doctors can formulate specific and testable explanations for the observed symptoms and identify the root cause of the illness more effectively.