How Can We Be Sure?

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This book from the SISCON series looks at the history of scientific theories, including evidence, prediction and creativity. It asks questions such as: What is it possible to be certain about? Are experts always right?

The chapters in this booklet are:

*Why we need to know - Are the experts sure?, How logic began, The rules of deduction, When we do agree

*Not so sure - Observations and generalisations, Induction - does it work?, Clues, theories and predictions

*The birth of scientific theories - Light, refraction and the rainbow, Continental drift and plate tectonics, What scientific theories are like

*Learning theories and explaining experiments - Established theories, How we learn science at school

*Science changes its mind - What is a beam of light?, What is burning?, Not sure yet

*When scientists disagree - Is there a danger to us?, What can we do about it?, Public enquiries

*Suggested reading

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