New Core CurriculumNew Core Curriculum

Foundations of Scientific ProcessFoundations of Scientific Process

Theories and Scientific LawsTheories and Scientific Laws

Science vs. PseudoscienceScience vs. Pseudoscience

week 2, class-1week 2, class-1

ScienceScience is concerned with investigating and making sense out of the is concerned with investigating and making sense out of the environment and trying to predict future observations.environment and trying to predict future observations.

What ? Where ? How ? Why ? What ? Where ? How ? Why ?

Movie “Contact” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRoj3jK37Vc

Theory & Scientific Law

TheoryTheory is defined as a broad, working hypothesis that is based is defined as a broad, working hypothesis that is based on extensive experimental evidenceon extensive experimental evidence

ex. Plate Tectonics Theoryex. Plate Tectonics Theory http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_tectonics

When theory is around for a long time it is sometimes promoted to a When theory is around for a long time it is sometimes promoted to a “Law of Nature” of “Law of Nature” of Scientific LawScientific Law

Scientific Law describes what is happening in nature Scientific Law describes what is happening in nature

(how it is, not how it aught to be)(how it is, not how it aught to be)

Science vs. Non-science vs. PseudoscienceScience vs. Non-science vs. Pseudoscience

Pseudoscience: Pseudoscience: deceptive practice that uses the appearance deceptive practice that uses the appearance or language of science to convince, confuse or mislead people or language of science to convince, confuse or mislead people

into thinking that something has scientific validity when it into thinking that something has scientific validity when it does notdoes not

Examples ?Examples ?

Questions to Ask ?Questions to Ask ?

Scientists are healthy skepticsScientists are healthy skeptics

PhrenologyFranz Gall(1758-1828)

Famous Anatomist

Gall: So observed these facile memorizers and “I noticed that they all had large and protruding eyes .”

Study of personality characteristics by measuring bumps on the head

The Theory of Phrenology: Assumptions

1. Physiology 2. Behavior

Brain has different, distinct areas.

Basic innate traits

a. Different areas responsible for different traits.

b. The larger the brain area, the more prominent the trait.

3. Connection

You need measurements to test a theory

Bumps on skull(couldn’t measure brain)

The Theory of Phrenology

The Theory of Phrenology: Pseudo-science popular in 19th century.

Advertisement for a Phrenology Lecture- 1888

Karl Marx

Gregor MendelCharles Darwin

Senator Henry Clay(1777-1852)

Reference appears in the Congressional Record in 1834.

President Andrew Jackson(1767-1845)

President 1829-1837

Clay suggested that the President’s head should be examined by phrenologists and that they would “find the organ of destructiveness prominently developed.”

?

Wrong & too simplistic measures of brains activity

The Theory of Phrenology: Why it failed ?

Scientists are healthy skepticsScientists are healthy skeptics

Arsenic-based bacteria: Arsenic-based bacteria: Fact or fiction?Fact or fiction?

Steven Benner, a chemist at the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution in Gainesville, Florida told New Scientist:

“In order to measure the apparently modified DNA, it has to be put into a water-containing gel, which would rapidly dissolve any arsenic-containing chunks of DNA, but not those containing phosphorus. Since they found large chunks of DNA, it must contain phosphorus, not arsenic...”