Typology of Sciences

This chapter examines how different scientific fields influence professional approaches to analysis and decision-making. It proposes a new way to classify sciences based on how they use energy. Formal sciences, such as mathematics and logic, provide the foundational language for all other fields. Exact sciences focus on material energy and observable phenomena, employing mainly deductive reasoning and decomposition to understand cause-effect relationships. Hybrid and inexact sciences deal with immaterial energy and its interactions with material energy, often using inductive and abductive reasoning to understand complex phenomena that cannot be directly measured or observed. The chapter highlights the complementary nature of these scientific approaches while acknowledging their limitations and challenges, particularly in measuring and analysing immaterial constructs. This understanding is crucial for professionals who must navigate between different analytical paradigms and recognise when and how to apply various scientific approaches in their practice. The chapter emphasises that no single scientific approach can fully capture the complexity of real-world professional challenges, supporting the book's broader argument for Professional Generalism.