# The iron rule  `[The Iron Rule] directs scientists to resolve their differences of opinion by conducting empirical tests rather than by shouting or fighting or philosophizing or moralizing or marrying or calling on a higher power1` From [[strevensKnowledgeMachineHow2020]] ### Related * [[Scientific inquiry is an abstracting process while engineering design is a narrowing process]] * Is there an equivalent of the iron rule for engineering design? It just needs to work? * [[Historical narrative is not scientific inquiry or engineering design but it is valuable]] * Is there an equivalent of the iron rule for history? The story needs to fit all of the pieces of evidence? [Web URL for this note](http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/The+iron+rule) [Comment on this note](http://via.hypothes.is/http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/The+iron+rule)