Ad Hoc Science

The practice of doing science in an ad hoc manner—developing hypotheses for specific cases, testing solutions in particular contexts, building theories that explain local phenomena without claiming universality. Ad hoc science is what happens when you can't wait for general theories, when you need answers now, when the situation demands action before understanding. It's the science of emergency rooms, of startup pivots, of parenting—contexts where general principles help but specific solutions are needed. Ad hoc science is not inferior; it's just different. It's science for the real world, where most problems are local and most solutions are temporary.

Example: "She practiced ad hoc science in her garden, trying different combinations of plants, soil, water, and sun until something worked. She didn't develop general principles; she just found what worked here, in this plot, this year. Next year, she'd start over. Ad hoc science wasn't publishable, but it grew vegetables."

by Dumu The Void February 17, 2026

Sweeping Science

The practice of drawing broad, universal conclusions from limited, specific evidence—generalizing wildly from a few studies, a single experiment, or personal observation. Sweeping science is what happens when a preliminary finding is treated as settled fact, when a correlation is treated as causation, when a local result is applied globally. It's the science of headlines ("Coffee Causes Cancer," then "Coffee Prevents Cancer") rather than careful research. Sweeping science is beloved of journalists who need clickable stories, advocates who need supporting evidence, and anyone who prefers certainty to accuracy. The cure is recognizing that science is incremental, that single studies prove nothing, that generalizations require replication, meta-analysis, and time.

Example: "A study of 50 people found that a new diet improved health. Sweeping science declared it 'the miracle diet'—blogs, headlines, books. Ten years later, the results couldn't be replicated. Sweeping science had moved on to the next miracle, leaving confusion and failed expectations behind."

by Dumu The Void February 18, 2026

Hasty Science

The practice of rushing to conclusions before evidence is adequate—publishing results before replication, announcing breakthroughs before verification, claiming certainty before understanding. Hasty science is what happens when pressure to publish, compete, or impress overrides scientific caution. It's the science of conference announcements, press releases, and Twitter threads—claims made before they're ready, promises that can't be kept. Hasty science is beloved of institutions seeking funding, researchers seeking fame, and journalists seeking stories. The cure is recognizing that science is slow for a reason, that replication takes time, that certainty is earned, not declared.

Example: "The lab announced a breakthrough in room-temperature superconductors—headlines worldwide, stock market frenzy, Nobel whispers. Then the results couldn't be replicated. Hasty science had struck again: the rush to announce had outpaced the science itself. The researchers retreated, the headlines faded, and the field moved on, slower and wiser."

by Dumu The Void February 18, 2026