What Is & IsnWhat Is & Isn’’t Science?t Science?

Ref: Dr. Bruce RailsbackRef: Dr. Bruce RailsbackDepartment of Geology, University of GeorgiaDepartment of Geology, University of Georgia jschmied©2012

What is Science?What is Science?

Science is the Science is the concerted human concerted human effort to understand, effort to understand, the history of the the history of the natural world & how natural world & how the natural world the natural world works. works.

jschmied©2012

What does Science use as the basis of What does Science use as the basis of all scientific understanding?all scientific understanding?

Science uses Science uses observable, observable, physical evidencephysical evidence as the basis of as the basis of

all scientific understandingall scientific understanding..

b. and/or through b. and/or through experimentationexperimentation … …

that tries to simulate that tries to simulate natural processes natural processes under controlled under controlled

conditions.conditions.benjaminsternke.typepad.com/.../f_madscience.jpgbenjaminsternke.typepad.com/.../f_madscience.jpg

http://www.physorg.com/news84027776.htmlhttp://www.physorg.com/news84027776.htmlHow is Science How is Science Done?Done?

a. Science is done a. Science is done through through

observationobservation of natural of natural phenomena,phenomena,

jschmied©2012

2 Types of 2 Types of Science:Science: Type 1:Type 1:

Observational Observational ScienceScience

Example 1a

An ecologist studying the distribution of Pitcher Plants in a wetland.Example 1b

An Ecologist studying the

growth rate of Mink in an

island ecosystem.jschmied©2012

Observational Observational ScienceScience

Example 2Example 2

• • A geologist A geologist examining the fossils examining the fossils in an outcrop.in an outcrop.

jschmied©2012

Observational Science Observational Science

Example 3Example 3

• • An astrophysicist An astrophysicist photographingphotographing distant galaxies to determine distant galaxies to determine the the formation of the Universe.formation of the Universe.

jschmied©2012

Observational Observational Science Science

Example 4Example 4• • A climatologist sifting A climatologist sifting data from weather data from weather balloons on weather balloons on weather patterns.patterns.

jschmied©2012

2 Types of 2 Types of ScienceScience

Type 2:Type 2:

Experimental Experimental ScienceScience

Example 1Example 1

A chemist observes A chemist observes the rates of one the rates of one chemical reaction at chemical reaction at a variety of a variety of temperatures to see temperatures to see what patterns what patterns emerge.emerge.

http://portal.techhigh.us/Teachers/chapariana/PublishingImages/chemistry%20lab.jpg

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/images%5CChemistryLabSRL.jpg

Example 2Example 2

• • A nuclear physicist A nuclear physicist recording the results of recording the results of bombarding a bombarding a particular type of particular type of matter with to see matter with to see what patterns emergewhat patterns emerge..

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/15/science/15cern.html?fta=y

Type 2:Type 2:

Experimental Experimental ScienceScience

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/05/15/science/15cern_slidetwo.html

Type 2: Type 2:

Experimental Experimental ScienceScience

Example 3Example 3

• • A biologist observing the A biologist observing the reaction of a particular reaction of a particular tissue to various stimulants tissue to various stimulants is experimenting to find is experimenting to find patterns too!patterns too!

http://www.contractlaboratory.com/www/images/people/scientist_crystal.gif

http://www.kidsbiology.com/images/biologist-2.jpgjschmied©2012

What are all What are all scientists scientists

attempting to do?attempting to do?

Observing and Observing and Experimenting in Experimenting in order to order to detect detect

patterns in naturepatterns in nature.. jschmied©2012

http://asunews.asu.edu/files/images/Algae.jpg

http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0008/17648/biologist.jpg

Two things in common Two things in common amongst all amongst all scientists:scientists:

1. Making & recording 1. Making & recording observations of observations of nature or of nature or of simulations of simulations of nature, in order to nature, in order to learn more about learn more about how nature works. how nature works. 2. Showing that old 2. Showing that old

ideas are wrong ideas are wrong and developing and developing new ideas may new ideas may better explain better explain

nature.nature.

www.puzzlehouse.com/astronomer.htm

http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=93353&rendTypeId=4jschmied©2012

What Isn’t Science?

Science Isn’t Art

Art is the attempt to Art is the attempt to express an individual's express an individual's feelings or ideas about feelings or ideas about

something in a way that something in a way that others find beautiful, others find beautiful, graceful, or pleasinggraceful, or pleasing jschmied©2012

Science is the Science is the attempt to make attempt to make

public and, public and, repeatable repeatable

conclusions about the conclusions about the natural world.natural world.

What Isn’t Science?

Science Isn’t Art

http://www.punaridge.org/doc/teacher/method/Default.htm

jschmied©2012 http://www.punaridge.org/doc/teacher/method/Default.htm

What Isn’t Science?

Science Isn’t Technology

jschmied©2012

• • Science doesn't make things. Science doesn't make things. Scientists generate knowledge. Scientists generate knowledge.

• • Engineers use scientific Engineers use scientific knowledge to generate knowledge to generate technology.technology.

iphone5unlock1.com

madassgamers.com

What IsnWhat Isn’’t Science?t Science?

Science is often Science is often confused with Truth confused with Truth and Certainty. Itand Certainty. It’’s s

just not so…just not so…

Science Science IsnIsn’’tt Truth Truth

jschmied©2012

• • Most scientists seek Truth; Most scientists seek Truth; they don't know or generate they don't know or generate TruthTruth..

Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of GeorgiaSheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama

• • Scientists use evidence to Scientists use evidence to propose and test theories, propose and test theories,

knowing that future evidence knowing that future evidence may change, revise, or even may change, revise, or even

reject today's theories.reject today's theories.

What IsnWhat Isn’’t Science?t Science?

Science Science IsnIsn’’tt CertaintyCertainty

Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of GeorgiaSheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama

jschmied©2012

• • Science and belief Science and belief systems are very systems are very

different, in what they different, in what they try to do and in the try to do and in the

approaches each use approaches each use to accomplish their to accomplish their

goals. goals.

What Isn’t Science?

Science Isn’t Religion

www.christchurchstellarton.ca/

http://academics.hamilton.edu/asian_studies/home/TempleCulture.html

Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of GeorgiaSheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama

jschmied©2012

Science’s underlying Science’s underlying assumptions are assumptions are tested and retested tested and retested using using observable observable physical evidencephysical evidence. .

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

What Isn’t Science?

Science Isn’t Religion

Science seeks to Science seeks to explain the origin, explain the origin, nature, and processes nature, and processes of the physically of the physically detectable universe.detectable universe.

Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of GeorgiaSheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama

http://blog.baliwww.com/wp-content/photos/palasari_church_1.jpg

The Three Basic Questions Science Asks….

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/nature/I3basicquestions.shtml

#1 What’s there:

The astronaut picking up rocks on the moon,

The nuclear physicist bombarding atoms,

The marine biologist describing a newly discovered species,

The paleontologist digging in promising strata, are all seeking to find out…..

“What’s there?” http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/StarChild/space_level2/aldrin_big.gif

jschmied©2012

The Three Basic Questions Science Asks….

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/nature/I3basicquestions.shtml

#2 - How does it work?

A geologist comparing the effects of time on moon rocks to the effects of time on earth rocks,

The nuclear physicist observing the behavior of particles,

The paleontologist studying the locomotion of an extinct dinosaur, all are asking…..

“How does it work?” jschmied©2008

The Three Basic Questions Science Asks….

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/nature/I3basicquestions.shtml

#3 How did it come to be this way? Each of these scientists tries to reconstruct the histories of their objects of study.

Whether these objects are rocks, elementary particles, marine organisms, or fossils, scientists are asking,

“How did it come to be this way?” jschmied©2012

http://www.csb.yale.edu/userguides/graphics/ribbons/help/dna_rgb.gif

http://klabs.org/richcontent/MAPLDCon02/exhibits/rock1_medium.jpg

http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/nmml/gallery_admin/albums/cetaceans/killer/oo-48_orca.JPG