There are eleven hindrances to Scientific Inquiry. They include: Tradition, authority, inaccurate observation, overgeneralization, selective observation, made up information, illogical reasoning, ego involvement in understanding, human error, mystification, and dogmatism.
From the list you can see there are a couple of interesting ones listed. For example mystification and dogmatism are something you may not have thought of. They do apply as there are some who will use "science" to display magic and there are certain areas of science that are still mystifying because we have yet to discover the truth behind them. Dogmatism is a tendency to state something as the truth, incontrovertible, without evidence or listening to opinions of others.
- Understanding Hindrances
From the list you can see there are a couple of interesting ones listed. For example mystification and dogmatism are something you may not have thought of. They do apply as there are some who will use "science" to display magic and there are certain areas of science that are still mystifying because we have yet to discover the truth behind them. Dogmatism is a tendency to state something as the truth, incontrovertible, without evidence or listening to opinions of others.
- Tradition
Tradition is another good hindrance to speak about. It comes about in Anthropological studies quite often. Anthropology studies human beings and cultures. It will examine the effects that other cultures can have on one culture that has been isolated. A good example can be found in certain African villages. There are some cultures that believe ailments such as headaches are the result of possession rather than of illness. We have seen evidence of this in history as well. These traditional practices of these cultures limit their ability to adapt to a more modern world wherein science can cure a headache. Likewise a person studying such a culture may be held back by their own traditions unable to believe that possession can truly exist.
- Authority
Authority is perhaps one of the best examples of how scientific inquiry can be hindered. Authorities that do not want the full truth to be provided can hold back an inquiry from being made or from the whole truth being exposed. Authorities have the power to decide what goes into an inquiry and what stays out.
