Scientific Controversies

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Facts and reasons cannot in most circumstances settle scientific controversies. The main issue is a matter of interpretation. One person can interpret data and observations differently from another person. This is where the problem lies. Pride and scientific interpretation can keep a controversy going even when facts and reasons may seem to prove one side false. Also, if there is more than model and those models each have some kind of positive evidence, then they each have a point to argue from. So what in the end will prove one more true over the others? In some cases it is social belief's that will bring an end to a controversy. Other times it will end because other scientists will drop their model and give up on trying to convince that theirs is the correct model. Pasteur's real world question was; how to create sterile air so that spontaneous generation may be tested. His model was to break a flask in high altitude and then reseal it under a flame while holding it with pincers. His nutrient was a yeast infusion. His hypothesis was, this would create sterile air to test spontaneous generation. His data showed that only one out of 20 became prurient. The data seemed to fit the hypothesis closely. Therefore the model seemed to fit the real world. There were no other models at the time to compare and discuss. Pouchet's real world question was; could he perform the same experiment as Pasteur to validate his results. His model was the same as Pasteur's except he uses a file instead of pincers, and hay instead of yeast. His hypothesis was that this would duplicate Pasteur's results. The data showed that eight out of eight of his become prurient. This made his hypothesis incorrect and his model therefore was also wrong. Were there any other models to fit the data? Yes, Pasteur's model was the one which seemed to be correct. There really were not any compelling reasons for choosing one model over another. The only thing Pasteur had the support of the Paris commission. But since Pouchet dropped out, the commission had no other model to support. The main reason why Pasteur's model was adopted by the scientific community was because Pouchet didn't argue his side.

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