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Updated: Jun 24, 2026
09:07
Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations
Published on: September 16, 2015
When uncertainty is not the problem: science, complexity, and the evaluation of research
1Navarrabiomed, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Hospital Universitario de Navarra Virgen del Camino (HUN), Pamplona, Navarra, España.
Medicina
|June 22, 2026
Summary
Scientific uncertainty is a structural aspect of progress, not a flaw, especially in complex biological systems. Embracing this uncertainty is key for advancing medical research and understanding complex phenomena.
Area of Science:
- Epistemology
- History of Science
- Medical Research
Background:
- Traditionally, scientific uncertainty is viewed as a temporary limitation.
- Research at knowledge frontiers and complex systems reveals uncertainty as structural.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the productive role of uncertainty in scientific knowledge generation.
- To highlight the relevance of uncertainty for understanding complex medical phenomena.
Main Methods:
- Drawing on epistemological, historical, and clinical perspectives.
- Discussing examples from clinical practice and biomedical research history.
Main Results:
- Significant advances often arise from conceptual exploration, not just predictability.
- Uncertainty is a fundamental condition in complex biological and medical research.
Conclusions:
- Recognizing uncertainty as legitimate is essential for scientific progress.
- Research evaluation and funding must accommodate inherent uncertainty in complex problems.
- Aligning research practices with the complexity of medical challenges requires embracing uncertainty.
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