NATURE OF SCIENCE http vault hanover edubruyninx Bio

NATURE OF SCIENCE

http: /vault. hanover. edu/~bruyninx/ Bio 161 Ecology and Evolution Administration (SYLLABUS, SCHEDULE) Lab manual Nature of Science Bio 161 Power. Point Lectures Bio 161 C Completed Bio 161 D Completed Bio 161 Lab data Bio 161 Quizzes

Nature of Science. I. III.

Scientific World View Science is:

Scientific World View Science is: A way of knowing.

Scientific World View Science is: A way of knowing.

Scientific World View Science is: A way of knowing.

Scientific World View A way of knowing of the natural world. Understand/explain how the many functions of our body and environment work. We express our knowledge or understanding of a function by describing the underlying mechanism.

Scientific World View Goal: knowledge (to know): Understand, Explain Develop concepts Build up mental pictures Answer our questions Predict

Scientific World View Doing Science Study / Learning

Scientific World View Doing Science vs to study Science

Scientific World View Theory: in vernacular English:

Scientific World View Theory / Law / Dogma: in the language of the sciences:

Scientific World View Theory / Law / Dogma: in the language of the sciences: “A body of knowledge that explains with considerable certainty large sets of activities of the world. ” “A theory is held with a high degree of confidence and is supported by enough evidence to make its abandonment unlikely. ”

Scientific World View Theory / Law / Dogma: Examples:

Nature of Science Two assumptions:

Nature of Science Assumptions 1:

Nature of Science Assumption 1: The world is real! Our understanding provides a “True” picture of that world. Concepts are shared and verifiable.

Nature of Science Assumptions 2:

Nature of Science Assumption 2: The world is knowable! Natural processes operate in a fairly consistent manner, and we can discover these patterns.

Scientific World View a) Scientific ideas are subject to change

Scientific World View b) Scientific knowledge is durable

Scientific World View c) Science cannot provide answers to all questions.

Scientific World View Science What is studied? Source of knowledge Mode of progression Religion

Scientific World view Not by revelation Science teaching: Not by authority

Scientific World View Pseudoscience.

Scientific World View Pseudoscience. The pseudo-scientific ideas of Lysenkoism built on Lamarckian concepts of the heritability of acquired characteristics. Lysenko's theory rejected Mendelian inheritance and the concept of the "gene"; it departed from Darwinian evolutionary theory by rejecting natural selection.

Scientific World View Pseudoscience. Samuel Hahnemann (1755 -1843) Homeopathy is a system of alternative medicine created in 1796 by Samuel Hahnemann, based on his doctrine of like cures like, a claim that a substance that causes the symptoms of a disease in healthy people would cure similar symptoms in sick people.

Scientific Inquiry Science is:

Scientific Inquiry Science is experiential:

Scientific Inquiry Science is experimental:

Scientific inquiry Science is Experiential Experimental. Science is materialistic Science is evidence-based Not: Divine Revelation, Supernatural, Scripture.

Scientific Inquiry How is Science done?

Scientific Inquiry The goal of science is understanding the functioning of the Universe. 1. Collecting EVIDENCE 2. Formulate possible models /explanations (causal hypotheses) 3. Test hypotheses by further observation / experiments.

Scientific Inquiry Implications: a. Science demands evidence b. Science is a blend of logic and imagination c. Science explains and predicts d. Scientists try to identify and avoid bias e. Science is NOT authoritarian

Scientific Inquiry Implications: a. Science demands evidence

Scientific World View a) Scientific ideas are subject to change

Scientific World View b) Scientific knowledge is durable

Scientific Inquiry Implications: b. Science is a blend of logic and imagination.

Scientific Inquiry Implications: c. Science explains and predicts.

Scientific Inquiry Implications: d. Scientists try to identify and avoid bias.

Scientific Inquiry Implications: e. Science (Scientists) is NOT authoritarian.

Scientific Inquiry Implications: e. Science (Scientists) is NOT authoritarian. Science vs. teaching science.

Nature of Science Scientific Enterprise. CONFIDENCE IN SCIENCE: a) b) c) d) Funding agencies Experiments are repeated Peer-review of publications Follow-up research by different groups.

Mitch Mc. Connell: “ I don’t buy that climate is changing. ”

Nature of Science SCIENCE AND THE GREAT DEBATES OF THE DAY: v v Not all statements are equal. Role of experts. Cognitive dissonance. The Debate: § List and evaluate evidence § Evaluate logic.

Nature of Science SCIENCE AND THE GREAT DEBATES OF THE DAY: • • • Global warming. Vaccination. HIV is the course of AIDS. Alternative medicine. Vitamin therapy. Evolution theory.

Nature of Science SCIENCE AND THE GREAT DEBATES OF THE DAY: v Not all statements are equal.

Nature of Science SCIENCE AND THE GREAT DEBATES OF THE DAY: v Role of experts.

Nature of Science SCIENCE AND THE GREAT DEBATES OF THE DAY: v Cognitive dissonance.

Nature of Science SCIENCE AND THE GREAT DEBATES OF THE DAY: v The Debate: § Respect the experts § List and evaluate evidence § Evaluate logic. § There is value in numbers § Some ideas require more evidence.

Nature of Science The Scientific enterprise a. Science is part of modern society b. Science is a complex social activity c. Science is organized into content disciplines and is conducted in various institutions. d. Ethical principles. e. Scientist participate in public affairs.