Summary: Oceanography Vol.17, No.4, Dec. 20048
Discovery lies at the very heart of sci-
entific endeavor. It heralds progress,
the march of science in uncovering the
mysteries of the world that surrounds
us. But how do discoveries come about?
"By observation, of course" is the simple
answer, nature being an open book with
new discoveries beckoning at every call.
This attitude, the curiosity and desire
to observe nature in her original form,
turned naturalists into explorers. In the
early days of oceanography, these brave
souls travelled far and wide in search of
exotic creatures and plants, marvelling
at their beauty and diversity. Yet today,
such a cavalier approach is likely to be
frowned upon, particularly by the phi-
losophers of science. They emphasize
the importance of hypothesis-driven

Source: Anderson, Thomas R. - Ocean Modelling and Forecasting Group, National Oceanography Centre Southampton

Collections: Environmental Sciences and Ecology