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A branch of philosophy that examines the nature, justification, and implications of the scientific method—asking foundational questions about what the method is, why it works, and what its limits might be. The philosophy of the scientific method investigates issues like: What distinguishes scientific inquiry from other forms of knowing? Is there a single scientific method or many? How do observation and theory relate? What counts as explanation? How do we choose between competing theories? What role do values play in science? How does science progress? It also examines classic debates: inductivism vs. hypothetico-deductivism, realism vs. anti-realism, paradigm shifts vs. cumulative progress. The philosophy of the scientific method is essential for scientists to understand what they're doing when they do science—not just how to apply methods, but what those methods assume and imply.
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