(to be completed in explorer book) life science: first five

(To be completed in Explorer Book)

Life Science: First Five

NotesLife Science: Chapter 1

1. What is Science?2. Why Study Life Science?3. Scientific Method

Where we are going in this chapter…

I. What is Science?INTRODUCTION:The knowledge gained from the careful, systematic investigation of the natural world.

See doodle (magnifying glass, tree, ruler)

To doodle…To make marks in order to support thinking

Engage three learning modalities (seeing, hearing, moving, touching)

Use simple visual language to activate the mind’s eye and support creativity, problem-solving and innovation.

So, what is LIFE Science?

The knowledge gained from the careful, systematic investigation of LIVING THINGS in the natural world.

Simply put…Life Science is the study of living things.

Peak into future science classes...

Physical Science is concerned with the study of inanimate natural objects, including physics, chemistry, astronomy, and related subjects.

Peak into future science classes...

Human Anatomy and Physiology deals with the structure and function of the human body

Technically a more detailed subject of Life Science

What is the Goal of Science?

Make useful predictions.

A. Thinking Scientifically

1. Curiosity

- Ask the WHY questions.

If a person can find out what causes something in nature, they will probably make useful predictions.


2. Caution

- Not everything you read or hear is true.


2. Caution

a. Preference for the Observed


2. Caution


Observation: Info that a person has gained by using 1 or more of 5 senses


2. Caution


Observation: Info that a person has gained by using 1 or more of 5 senses

(sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste)


2. Caution


Inference: Logical conclusion based on observations


2. Caution

b. Awareness of the Limits of Science

- If something cannot be observed, it cannot be proven scientifically.


2. Caution


- It can only deal with the physical universe.


2. Caution


- It is unable to deal with spiritual realities.

- Life after death? Does God answer prayer? Does God exist? Science can’t answer these…


2. Caution


- It is unable to deal with origins.


2. Caution


- Where did the universe come from? How did life begin?

- Science can’t address this b/c it can’t go back in time to OBSERVE the universe coming into existence.


2. Caution


- Science cannot prove universal negatives.


2. Caution


Universal Negative: a statement that excludes everything and often uses words such as “all” or “none”


2. Caution


Universal Negative

Ex: “No dinosaurs are alive.”

“Smallpox are completely eradicated from this planet.”


2. Caution


Value Judgment: a determination of the worth of something.

- Right or wrong? Good or bad? The morality of a decision comes from this.


2. Caution


Final Answer: absolutely true and never needs to be rejected or revised


The more scientists observe God’s world, the more they realize that their previous observations have been incorrect.


•This is to be expected…

•Humans are limited and cannot observe all that is needed to provide a final answer.


•Why study science if none of it is absolutely true?

•Remember, what is the goal of science?


•Science is not about truth.

•It is about making predictions that work.


•We want conclusions that produce useful predictions.

•We are NOT looking for conclusions that are absolutely true and final.

•Science has a particular role on a team.


2. Caution


Scientism: the belief that Science is the only way to learn about the world


2. Caution


- Can humans know about unobservable things, universal negatives, value judgments, and final answers?


There are other ways of learning about the world—the most important way being God’s Word.


2. Caution


Presupposition: an idea that a person takes for granted, something a person assumes to be true without having convincing proof for it.


2. Caution


Presupposition #1: the natural world is a very orderly place


2. Caution


- Things do not “just happen.”

- There are rules that govern what happens in nature


2. Caution


- In nature, the future will be like the past.


2. Caution


Presupposition #2: the orderliness of nature can be known by humans


2. Caution


- The rules can be discerned through scientific investigation

- Not absolutely or finally, but in part


The faith of the scientist:

•Unless he presupposes that nature is orderly and can be known, the work of science cannot go forward.

B. Thinking Christianly About Thinking Scientifically

INTRODUCTION:

Science can be viewed through different worldviews.


Filters…


Lenses…


Worldview: The perspective from which a person interprets all evidence in life.


Christian Worldview: The belief that the Bible is the Word of God and that it is the only completely reliable thing in this world.


Christian Worldview:

1) God made the world and everything in it



2) The world has fallen into a tragic state because of sin



3) God is working to redeem this world to Himself



These 3 teachings should influence your interpretation of any facts you study.


If you are serious about being a Christian…

your Christian worldview must color your view of scientific thinking.


1. Curiosity to the Glory of God

- The Christian has a very important reason for being curious…


1. Curiosity to the Glory of God

- Glorify God and enjoy him

- Know more about God and his character and then declare his glory

- Love of God and people


2. Caution Controlled by Scripture

- How do you keep from being a skeptic?



- A skeptic is someone who tends to reject or doubt even things that should be believed.



- The Bible encourages Christians to think critically. (I John 4:1)

- It does NOT encourage them to doubt God or His Word.



- It is God’s Word that helps the believer decide whether a new teaching is false. (1 John 4:2-3)


3. Commitment to Christian Presuppositions

Many scientists say that Christian presuppositions are bad for science because they keep the Christian from having the open mind necessary for doing good science.



True or False?

Do you remember the two presuppositions that all scientists must hold?



•Scientists accept by faith that nature is orderly and that this orderliness can be known by humans.

•Does the Bible support or contradict this?



a. Nature is well ordered because God made it to declare His glory

•Gen 1:14; 8:22; Rom. 11:36



b. Humans can know about this order because God them in His image and desires to be glorified by their wise use of nature’s orderliness.

•Gen 1:16-28

1. What is Science?

REVIEW: What is Science?

1. Science is the knowledge gained from careful, systematic study of the natural world.


2. Explain the difference between an observation and an inference.


2. Observation: info gained by using one or more of one’s sensesInference: logical conclusion based on observations


3. Write a universal negative about fish.


4. List the three major teachings of a Christian worldview.


1) God made the world and everything in it. 2) the world has fallen into a tragic state of sin 3) God is working to redeem this world to Himself


5. What are the most important beliefs that a Christian scientist must have?


5. The Bible is the Word of God and it is the only completely reliable thing in this world.


II. Why Study Science?

Not everyone is fascinated by living things…

Should we be?What does it say about me if I don’t?

A. God Made Living Things for His Glory

1. Glory in Living Things

- What does the “glory of God” mean?



- It refers to the ways in which God’s greatness and goodness are superior to that of any of His creatures



- No one loves as God loves. He is good to all of His creatures, meeting their needs and blessing them daily.



- Life science demonstrates God’s greatness more clearly.



Without knowing about life science, it is easy to get BORED by verses like Psalm 148:7-10



- By simply speaking a few sentences, He designed, fashioned, and brought to life billions of amazingly complex creatures. PAUSE



- Realizing what God did and who He is makes it easier to get excited about praising Him. (Psalm 148:13)



- Life science shows the truth of God’s loving care in action.

- Can’t only coldly refer to things as the “laws of nature”



- The “laws of nature” are in fact regular proofs of God’s love.

- He shows care for His creatures.



- One of the main goals for learning about life science: Psalm 104:34-35


2. Glory in Our Work of Dominion

- All of God’s creatures declare His glory, but human beings do so in a special way.



Dominion Mandate: Mankind is responsible for governing God’s creation.

Gen 1:28



- God is the infinite Lord of the universe

- We are the finite lords of His earth



- We are to “have dominion” over the things we will study in Life Science.

- We are to think of ways to use it to best meet our needs.



- As we learn to think scientifically and discover creative and workable ways to use God’s creation, we declare the glory of God.


To cultivate



- When we discover ways to power our machines and warm our homes w/out carelessly destroying the beautiful things God has made…



- When we learn ways to be more efficient in our daily routines by observing the efficiency of the bees and ants…


It is not just mankind’s hymns and prayers that

glorify God.



- We also glorify God when we exercise wisdom and good stewardship in our use of the living things He has made.

(useful predictions)

B. God Cursed Living Things b/c of Sin

1. Physical Effects of the Fall

Fall: Mankind’s first sin and the curse that resulted from that sin



- There are problems in our environment

- Raising plants and animals is a challenging task



- There are problems in our bodies

- A struggle to keep our bodies from sickness, harm, and death


All that lives will die.



- Why is life on this planet so tragic?

- Where can you find an answer?



- Life is filled with painful struggle because of human sin.



- The reason why plants and animals are so hard to manage…why giving birth is difficult and dangerous…why we are all destined to the grave



- God is not unkind or unloving

- This is not without meaning



- Suffering and death are God’s megaphones for speaking to us about our sin.



- We have gone astray from Him, and He has made the world go astray from us.


2. Mental Effects of the Fall

- The Fall has also damaged our minds.

- We do not think of living things as we should.



- We have all inherited the tendency not value God or others as we should.

- This tendency has a devastating effect on the work of life science.



- Proverbs 1:7

- Fear refers to reverencing, honoring, or highly valuing God



- As long as a person cannot bring himself to value the Creator as he should, he cannot know creation as he should.



- There is much opposition ahead.

- Remember that the effects of the Fall are mental and influence the educational realm



- The fact that many life scientists reject what the Bible teaches about life is actually proof of the Bible’s truthfulness.

C. God is Redeeming This World to Himself

•Even though man’s Fall resulted in a world filled with tragedy, God did not intend for the world to remain that way.

C. God is Redeeming This World to Himself

•Only moments after the first sin, God began to reveal His plan for redeeming humans and their world to Himself

•Captive – Col 2:8

•Gen. 3:15

D. Relieving Human Suffering and Proclaiming the Gospel•As Christians, we take seriously the problem of human suffering.

D. Relieving Human Suffering and Proclaiming the Gospel•Life Science is one of the most powerful tools for relieving human suffering.

D. Relieving Human Suffering and Proclaiming the Gospel• It helps us understand what good health is and identify behaviors and conditions that are harmful.

•Enables researchers to develop better treatments for all sorts of medical problems (ear infections, diabetes, cancer, etc)

D. Relieving Human Suffering and Proclaiming the Gospel•When Christians sacrificially labor to bring healing to others, they show that the gospel really is as powerful as they say.

•Your work as a student is labor…for the best cause.

E. Reclaiming Life Science for God’s Glory

•Is it possible for thoughts about life science to be disobedient to Christ?

•2 Cor. 10:5


•Instead of praising God for His creativity and power, people tend to praise evolution

•Many value the lives of some animals and plants more than humans


•Though the heavens declare God’s glory (Psalm 19:1)…

•Life Science in many schools rarely declares the authority of God.


•Think about how Life Science can be presented in a way that declares God’s glory.

•Rev. 4:11


•This is an exciting time in the history of Life Science!

•God may call you to be a medical doctor, botanist, researcher, biology professor, etc…


•Being a medical missionary is just one way to show Christian love. Can you think of others?


•No matter your field, we all will have to use the answers and achievements of science wisely.

•In the “fear” of the Lord

1. What is the superiority of God’s greatness and goodness over all of His creatures called?REVIEW: Why Study Life Science?

1. The glory of God

REVIEW: Why Study Life Science?

2. What is the scriptural basis for the Dominion Mandate?


2. Gen 1:26, 28


3. Does the Dominion Mandate allow us to use creation in any way we desire? Why or why not?REVIEW: Why Study Life Science?

3. No. Although man has been given dominion over the earth, he should not abuse or be cruel to any creatures or humans.REVIEW: Why Study Life Science?

4. Why did God curse His creation?


4. Sin, disobedience…


5. List the two types of effects caused by the Fall.


5. Physical and mental


6. How is God’s work of Redemption related to the study of life science?


1) Life science helps us relieve human suffering and thus proclaim God’s truth more effectively…and…REVIEW: Why Study Life Science?

2) A Christian can learn how he/she may work to make their part of God’s world “obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor 10:5)REVIEW: Why Study Life Science?

III. Scientific Method

Problem MUST be:

1. Observable

2. Measurable

3. Repeatable


Establish the Problem


Form a Hypothesis


Test the Hypothesis


•Experimental Variable• Experimental Group• Control Group


Classify and Analyze Data


Choose & Verify the Answer


Final AnswerVs.

Workable Answer


Predict Outcomes


E F T - C C P

(to be completed in explorer book) life science: first five

Documents

observed slide

chapter slide

physical science

ruler slide

taste slide

goal of science

study life science

notes life science