Likertovo škálování

Science and scientific work are in accordance with generally accepted axiom considered as something that generates scientific discoveries, and by that positively moves a human civilization forward. However, a fundamental attribute of wide groups of "phenomenon" creates barriers for scientific discoveries - this attribute is immeasurability. Especially in the social sciences, immeasurability is associated with the absence of hard data, which intensively limits the range of methods that could be applied in the scientific work. Nevertheless, there is a method that aims to eliminate this deficit and, while using the method correctly (i.e. with respect to its general principles), one can quantify the variables seem to be immeasurable at first glance. This method is called scaling. The text of this paper discusses the approach of methodology and philosophy of science to immeasurable factors and quantifies their potential through one-dimensional method called the Likert scaling. The paper is devoted to the description of the method; analyzes its pros and cons, and gives detailed instructions for its application. In conclusion, the answer to the question whether it makes sense for scientists to spend time with learning new methods (such as scaling), while we can say that for scientists, educated in a specific field, studying generates high opportunity cost? To answer this question: we can safely say that studying new methods is not time-wasting, because the opportunity cost is always the cost associated with "the second best option" while having perfect information about alternatives. And, without knowledge about these new methods studied, we can never say that the method we are using is the best one.