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Kayak and Canoe Design Bulletin Board
Re: Inuit rules for kayak design.
Posted By: Ross Miller In Response To: Re: Inuit rules for kayak design. (Will Brockman)
Date: Tuesday, 19 October 1999, at 10:01 p.m.
> Another two cents:
> I agree with Mike's criticisms of the article. The essential element of
> the scientific method is the testing of hypotheses. I have no doubt that
> innovations in kayak design were tested and the results keenly observed,
> but did they proceed from hypotheses about what would work and why? The
> author does not even attempt to show that new designs were based on
> hypotheses rather than serendipity or superstition. (I know next to
> nothing about Inuit culture and won't presume to guess....)> Ironic that an article ostensibly about the scientific method does such a
> poor job of employing it.> --Will
Two more cents:
I haven't read the article so what I say is suspect, but from your discussion it appears that the scientists' speculation as to whether there was conscious innovation or not is paternalistic and condescending. The scientific method does not permit this, but I can easily imagine the rivalry between the two best kayak builders in an arctic village. Smeared with seal blood and pumped up on testosterone, they argue late into the night about the best shapes, and challenge each other to another race: "This new boat is gonna leave your butt frozen in the icepack, pal." So-called "primitives" aren't dumb; they just lead simpler lives.
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