The Nature of Science

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The Nature of Science

• Chapter 1

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Science is built up with facts, as a house is
with stones. But a collection of facts is no
more a science than a heap of stones is a house.
-Jules Henri Poincare
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Science

• Scientia Latin for to know
• Science may seem like it is a series of facts, or
  ways to explain the universe. HOWEVER, the basis
  of all science is not the answers

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• The basis of all science is the
• questions.

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Goal of science

• The goal of science is to understand the world
  around us and the relationships among the
  players. Art, history, language, music, and
  philosophy also try to do this.

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• The difference is the approach
• used to understand the
• relationships.

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Scientific Method

• The process (or system) of questions, tests,
  observations, deductions, and conclusions.

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• Few true scientists rigidly adhere to this system
  in an orderly manner. In other words, there is
  no set pattern to this process.

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• Identify the problem
• Gather information
• Develop a hypothesis through reasoned inductive
  or deductive thought
• Experiment
• Collect data
• Draw a conclusion
• Verify and report results

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Scientific Method

• Regardless, scientists all share 3
  characteristics
• 1)They have confidence that the natural world is
  explainable in terms we can understand

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• 2)Descriptions and explanations of the world are
  based on repeated observations that can be
  changed, or thrown out, by other observations.
• 3)Willingness to accept the fact that they could
  be wrong.

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Limitations of scientific inquiry

• Because science is limited to objective
  (unbiased), observable, measurable phenomena it
  cannot make moral or value judgments.

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• For example, science gave
• us the atomic bomb, but
• science cannot tell us
• whether or not it
• is right or moral to use it.

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• Science cannot say whether
• a painting is beautiful, but it
• can analyze peoples
• responses to a painting.

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• Science is progressive, self-correcting,
• replicating,competitive and
• cooperative.

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Types of Science

• Physical science chemistry , physics, geology
• Natural Sciences biology, physiology, anatomy
• Social sciences psychology, sociology

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Ways to do science

• Pure science science for the sake of knowledge
  
• Ex learning how plants use sunlight to make
  glucose

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• Applied science science that uses the knowledge
  gained in pure science
  Ex using knowledge about photosynthesis to
  develop plants that make large amounts of glucose
  using very little sun.

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Biology

• Bio life ology study of
• There is a need to study biology because we need
  to study the relationships within, and between
  living systems in order to understand them

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Themes in Biology

• Energy
• System and interactions
• Unity within diversity
• Homeostasis
• Evolution
• Science as a process

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Hypothesis vs. Theory

• Hypothesis an
• educated guess about
• what is likely to occur
• in an experiment
• Ex. If I add bleach to this bacterial culture,
  then the bacteria will die because bleach is
  known to kill most cells

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Hypothesis vs. Theory

• Theory a hypothesis that is repeatedly tested
  and is unlikely to be disproved
• Ex. Germ Theory of Disease has been shown that
  germs cause many types of diseases

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Characteristics of Life

• Cells are basic units all living organisms are
  made up of 1 or many cells
• Response to stimuli all
• living organisms respond
• and adapt to the stimuli that is presented to
  them in their environment

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Characteristics of Life

• Growth and development all living organisms
  grow and develop throughout their lifespan
• Reproduction all living organisms must have the
  capability to reproduce in order to carry on
  their species but, not every individual within a
  species must reproduce

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Characteristics of Life

• Homeostasis all living organisms must maintain
  constant internal balance
• -ex. Constant body temperature in mammals

• Need for energy all living organisms require
  energy to survive

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Characteristics of Life

• Made up of a genetic code - DNA