Real-World Scientific Thinking

Use techniques and historic contexts to determine reliability

Alone doesn't suffice, needs extensive scientific analysis

Has expertise in field

subject-specific knowledge not available to scientists

Dates of painting, etc

Appears to be prematurely conclusive

Scientific method supplements historian method

Sometimes even after science, results are inconclusive

Combine scientific method and high technology

Can misinterpret results due to lack of historical context

Unlike artist, considers multiple posisbilities to explain results

Scientists falsify one another's conclusions

Constant state of progress