Author Archives: David Harriman

Some of my academic critics have crossed the line by belittling the achievements of Galileo and Newton. They claim that Galileo did not understand the concept of “friction,” despite the indisputable fact that Galileo abstracted from the effects of friction … Continue reading →

Every generalization is induced within a specific context of knowledge, and to claim that it is true is to claim that it applies within that context. The available context of knowledge determines the referents of the concepts that are related … Continue reading →

The first chapter of my book presents Leonard Peikoff’s analysis of “first-level” generalizations. These are generalizations that a toddler can grasp without antecedent generalizations; for example, “pushing a ball makes it roll.” On page 19, I quote from Dr. Peikoff’s … Continue reading →

This spring, The Logical Leap will be a required text in a course on scientific method at Western Carolina University. And the book has already been used in a critical thinking course at Augsburg College in Minnesota. At Claremont Graduate … Continue reading →

Several people have raised the question of whether the discovery process is better described as “linear” or “spiral.” Is there a straight progression of one discovery leading to the next, and the next, and so on? Or is there more … Continue reading →

Imagine going on a “free fall” ride with Galileo at an amusement park. Despite the fact that Galileo packed a few extra pounds (he enjoyed Italian food and wine), you and he would fall at the same rate. Galileo, of … Continue reading →

Now, I will begin to face my critics. I have been accused of presenting an “unconventional” history of science. Apparently, to depart from convention is a serious crime. How do I plead? Am I guilty or innocent? In a very … Continue reading →

To date, The Logical Leap has received more than a dozen positive reviews, and it is gratifying to me that these reviewers have found the book so valuable and said so publicly. Perhaps the most significant of these reviews appears … Continue reading →

In The Logical Leap, I have tried to shed light on the nature of scientific method by examining the discoveries that led to Newtonian mechanics and the atomic theory of matter (Chapters 2-5). In the rest of the book, Chapter … Continue reading →

The Logical Leap is written for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of how we discover generalizations. When we generalize from observed cases, how do we know that we’re right? My book tries to answer this question for the field … Continue reading →