I. How is Science Done?
o What is Science?
= organized knowledge
- A systematic process of asking questions about the observable world and then testing the answers to those questions …..
A. Goals of Science
1. Immediate Purpose = make correct predictions of events observed in nature.
2. Ultimate Purpose = betterment of mankind.
seeking a better understanding of nature
B. The Scientific Method
- the orderly process by which explanations for observations made in nature are accepted or rejected
ASSUMTION: Nature is knowable
Scientific Method:
3 steps => 1) observation 2) hypothesis 3) test
1. Observation - asking questions and/or collecting information.
2. Hypothesis - a testable explanation for a set of observations or information.
3. Testing - models or experiments that determine the feasibility of a hypothesis.
THEORY
- explanation that has undergone extensive testing
An idealized view
- publishing and peer review
- The Rules
1. Reproducibility
2. Falsifiable Explanations
3. Causality
4. Simplicity
5. Explanations are Tentative
6. Science cannot answer all questions
following them = good science
not following them = bad science
- common misconceptions
o hypothesis versus theory
o Nothing is proven to be absolutely true by the scientific method!!!
o Theories may change as our knowledge and ability to make observations change.
o Science reflects society and human nature….