Nature of ScienceNature of Science

Science is a Tentative Science is a Tentative EnterpriseEnterprise

The product of the judgment of individualsThe product of the judgment of individuals Requires individuals to defend their Requires individuals to defend their

conclusions by appeals to reason and conclusions by appeals to reason and evidenceevidence

Scientific truths are those that are agreed upon Scientific truths are those that are agreed upon by all fully informed observersby all fully informed observers

The only thing certain about science is that it The only thing certain about science is that it will always change.will always change.

#2 & 10#2 & 10

Science is an Empirical Science is an Empirical “Faith” (or belief system)“Faith” (or belief system)

Faith = a certainty that certain principles or Faith = a certainty that certain principles or bodies of knowledge are truebodies of knowledge are true

Empirical in that the “faith” is based on Empirical in that the “faith” is based on repeated practice and testingrepeated practice and testing

# 5, 6, 12, & 16# 5, 6, 12, & 16 Keep in mind…Keep in mind…

Includes unobservables (inductive reasoning)Includes unobservables (inductive reasoning) Can be influence by social or cultural factorsCan be influence by social or cultural factors Is fundamentally an interpretive activityIs fundamentally an interpretive activity

Science is not a Single Science is not a Single MethodMethod

Scientific methods refers to the whole Scientific methods refers to the whole gamut of means and methods in the gamut of means and methods in the world of scienceworld of science

The fact that science tests not just The fact that science tests not just concepts but also methods and means concepts but also methods and means also strengthens this disciplinealso strengthens this discipline

#3#3

Experiments are a Goal-Experiments are a Goal-Oriented Form of Scientific Oriented Form of Scientific ObservationObservation

Science is based on observations (as Science is based on observations (as opposed to “science is based on opposed to “science is based on experiments”)experiments”)

Experiments are goal-oriented procedures Experiments are goal-oriented procedures (as opposed to scientists having no idea how (as opposed to scientists having no idea how they will turn out)they will turn out)

No single experiment can prove a theory trueNo single experiment can prove a theory true #1, 7, 9 & 11#1, 7, 9 & 11

Scientific Theories are Scientific Theories are Explanations of Scientific Explanations of Scientific FactsFacts

Facts are observed.Facts are observed. Theories explain the “why” or “how” Theories explain the “why” or “how”

behind those facts.behind those facts. Scientists use theories to guide further Scientists use theories to guide further

researchresearch Theories change due to new data or Theories change due to new data or

connections between already known dataconnections between already known data # 4, 8, 14, 18, & 22 # 4, 8, 14, 18, & 22

Scientific Laws are Scientific Laws are Descriptions of Nature’s Descriptions of Nature’s BehaviorBehavior

A scientific law describes the A scientific law describes the relationships between observed relationships between observed phenomenaphenomena

Example: Law of gravity describes what Example: Law of gravity describes what will happen when you drop an apple but will happen when you drop an apple but doesn’t explain why.doesn’t explain why.

# 15, 17, 19, & 24# 15, 17, 19, & 24

Science is a Creative Science is a Creative EnterpriseEnterprise

Combines human ingenuity with the Combines human ingenuity with the desire to test everything against desire to test everything against observed facts and rules of reason/logic.observed facts and rules of reason/logic.

All scientific theories, models, etc. are All scientific theories, models, etc. are human constructions.human constructions.

Relies on inductive reasoning as much Relies on inductive reasoning as much as deductive reasoning.as deductive reasoning.

# 13, 20, 21, & 23# 13, 20, 21, & 23

SourceSource

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/richard_carrier/SciLit.html