Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Enjoyed this book! It came at a perfect time
of needing to think about processes in a different way. More interesting than a text book!

With the calling of "fake news" and "believe the science", this book is a great place to start learning more about how data shapes our lives.

We hear that a medication has been scientifically proven to be effective. But what does that really mean? What is a “scientific fact”? Zimring helps non-scientists (and perhaps some scientists) understand what science is and the process by which science is done. He helps readers be able to tell if the science was done well and whether scientific claims have, in fact, gone beyond the limits of scientific knowledge. Yes, there are limits to scientific knowledge.

I like that he walks us through how scientists reason. He includes logic, something not routinely taught in scientific studies. (Loc 2063/6558) I like how he gives common day examples of reasoning and thinking. He points out the flaws of human thinking and how science has specific processes to try and address the potential errors. Even though the scientific process can evidence flaws, it is still the most effective means we have of understanding the natural world.

I like how Zimring addresses the differences in science and religion and why appealing to the divine is outside the realm of science. I was glad to see that he does not discount religion, noting that the two deal with different aspects of reality.

I was happy to see Zimring clarifying that science does not yield absolute truth. We just do not live in that kind of a universe. (Loc 1679/6558) Theories are never proven but rather corroborated by failed attempts to disprove them. (Loc 1202/6558)

This is a good book for readers who want to better understand how science is done and better evaluate the results of the scientific process. You'll gain some good insights into thinking in general and how conclusions are drawn. It is a long book but is well worth working through.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

A really well written well referenced book James Zimmring has explained a vast and potentially complex area in a clear consistent way. A recommend for anyone interested in science

This is a very well-written book that takes an in-depth look into the different ways humans think and percieve the world around them, the flaws inherent in human perception, the ways that scientific thought and experiment tries to counteract these difficulties, and the strengths and weaknesses of this technique. The author does a very good job of pointing out that scientific thought still isn't perfect, and that it cannot generate certainties in the face of inherently uncertain information, which is why, at its best, science is built on questioning eveything. However, humans, liking certainty, tend to look at everything as black and white, lending science too much or too little credit.

This books is well written and probably super interesting for people who are interested into science but have personally nothing to do with it. I am going to be a scientist, so this wasn't all new to me. But I still enjoyed reading it. I like that he discusses scientists mistakes, too but also shows how the self-correct. Personally, I got a bit distracted from the philisophical aspects, because this is not my cup of tea.

Interesting look at how science is different from other learning systems

I enjoyed this book. James Zimring wrote a clear, well-reasoned and well-supported review of the inner workings of science. He doesn’t whitewash - he discusses some of the mistakes scientists make but also shows how science self-corrects. And he does this with a good sense of humor. While most of the footnotes were typical citations, many did elucidate the subject matter and some were just funny, so read those. I recommend this book for anyone interested in science.

If you possess a really serious interest in science this wonderful book is a must read. On the other hand, if you have only a passing interest in scientific research avoid this book at all costs. It is a very deep dive into the philosophy of the scientific method and it is written only for fervid scientific scholars. A "man in the street" reader will lose interest very quickly. For the serious scientific reader this book is a masterpiece!

Science was always my area of interest and passion. This is the field of mystery and curiousity for my mind. This book is a deep and thoughtful reading and if you really dive into it, there are a lot of interesting things to feed your curious brain with. I found many philosophical aspects for me and the whole reading was like having a talk with the author.

Interesting work about theory of science and scientific method. In short, you must accept - even embrace- that science won’t explain everything, but hey, it’s worth trying ;-) I have to warn that it is not a pop-science book, rather a textbook, but for interested in the topic it will be an inspiring read.