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| − | '''Zeteticism''' is a system of scientific inquiry. The
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| − | word is derived from the Greek verb ζητέω (zeteo), which means
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| − | "I seek; I examine; I strive for". A '''zeteticist''' is a person who
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| − | practises zeteticism.
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| − | Zeteticism differs from the usual scientific method in that
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| − | using zeteticism one bases his conclusions on
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| − | experimentation and observation rather than on an
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| − | initial theory that is to be proved or disproved.
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| − | A zetetic forms the question then immediately
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| − | sets to work making observations and performing
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| − | experiments to answer that question, rather than
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| − | speculating on what the answer might be then testing
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| − | that out, as is instructed by the [[Astronomy is a Pseudoscience#The_Scientific_Method|scientific method]].
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| − | For example, in questioning the shape of the Earth
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| − | the zetetic does not make a hypothesis suggesting
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| − | that the Earth is round or flat and then proceed to
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| − | testing that hypothesis; he skips that step and
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| − | devises an experiment that will determine the shape
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| − | of the Earth, and bases his conclusion on the result
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| − | of that experiment. Many feel this is a more reasonable
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| − | method than the normal scientific method because it
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| − | removes any preconceived notions and biases the
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| − | formation of a hypothesis might cause, and leaves
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| − | the conclusion up entirely to what is observed.
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| − |
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| − | [[Samuel Rowbotham]] was the first to use the term in
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| − | reference to [[Flat Earth]] research. He devised the
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| − | [[Bedford Level Experiment]] to determine whether the
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| − | surface of water is convex, reasoning that if the
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| − | water is not convex the earth cannot be a sphere.
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| − | This is how he came to the conclusion that the
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| − | Earth is flat. The method has been a cornerstone
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| − | of [[Flat Earth Theory]] ever since.
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| − |
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| − | ==See also:==
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| − | * [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%CE%B6%CE%B7%CF%84%CE%AD%CF%89 Definition of ζητέω on] [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ Wiktionary]
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