More Related Content Similar to Whatisisntscience 120909145710-phpapp02 (1) (20) 1. What Is & IsnWhat Is & Isn’t Science?’t Science?
Ref: Dr. Bruce RailsbackRef: Dr. Bruce Railsback
Department of Geology, University of GeorgiaDepartment of Geology, University of Georgia jschmied©2012
2. What is Science?What is Science?
Science is theScience is the
concerted human effortconcerted human effort
to understand, theto understand, the
history of the naturalhistory of the natural
world & how the naturalworld & how the natural
world works.world works.
jschmied©2012
3. What does Science use as the basis ofWhat does Science use as the basis of
all scientific understanding?all scientific understanding?
Science usesScience uses observable,observable,
physical evidencephysical evidence as the basis ofas the basis of
all scientific understandingall scientific understanding..
4. b. and/or throughb. and/or through
experimentationexperimentation … that… that
tries to simulate naturaltries to simulate natural
processes underprocesses under
controlled conditions.controlled conditions.benjaminsternke.typepad.com/.../f_madscience.jpgbenjaminsternke.typepad.com/.../f_madscience.jpg
http://www.physorg.com/news84027776.htmlhttp://www.physorg.com/news84027776.html
How is ScienceHow is Science
Done?Done?
a. Science is donea. Science is done
throughthrough
observationobservation of naturalof natural
phenomena,phenomena,
jschmied©2012
5. 2 Types of Science:2 Types of Science:
Type 1:Type 1:
ObservationalObservational
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
7. Observational ScienceObservational Science
Example 3Example 3
•• An astrophysicist photographingAn astrophysicist photographing
distant galaxies to determine thedistant galaxies to determine the
formation of the Universe.formation of the Universe.
jschmied©2012
9. 2 Types of Science2 Types of Science
Type 2:Type 2:
ExperimentalExperimental
ScienceScience
Example 1Example 1
A chemist observes theA chemist observes the
rates of one chemicalrates of one chemical
reaction at a variety ofreaction at a variety of
temperatures to seetemperatures to see
what patterns emerge.what patterns emerge.
http://portal.techhigh.us/Teachers/chapariana/PublishingImages/chemistry%20lab.jpg
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/images%5CChemistryLabSRL.jpg
10. Example 2Example 2
•• A nuclear physicistA nuclear physicist
recording the results ofrecording the results of
bombarding a particularbombarding a particular
type of matter with to seetype of 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:
ExperimentalExperimental
ScienceScience
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/05/15/science/15cern_slidetwo.html
11. Type 2:Type 2:
ExperimentalExperimental
ScienceScience
Example 3Example 3
•• A biologist observing theA biologist observing the
reaction of a particular tissue toreaction of a particular tissue to
various stimulants isvarious stimulants is
experimenting to find patternsexperimenting to find patterns
too!too!
http://www.contractlaboratory.com/www/images/people/scientist_crystal.gif
http://www.kidsbiology.com/images/biologist-2.jpgjschmied©2012
12. What are all scientistsWhat are all scientists
attempting to do?attempting to do?
Observing andObserving and
Experimenting in orderExperimenting in order
toto detect patterns indetect patterns in
naturenature..
jschmied©2012
http://asunews.asu.edu/files/images/Algae.jpg
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0008/17648/biologist.jpg
13. Two things in commonTwo things in common
amongst all scientists:amongst all scientists:
1. Making & recording1. Making & recording
observations of natureobservations of nature
or of simulations ofor of simulations of
nature, in order to learnnature, in order to learn
more about how naturemore about how nature
works.works.
2. Showing that old2. Showing that old
ideas are wrong andideas are wrong and
developing new ideasdeveloping new ideas
may better explainmay better explain
nature.nature.
www.puzzlehouse.com/astronomer.htm
http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=93353&rendTypeId=4jschmied©2012
14. What Isn’t Science?
Science Isn’t Art
Art is the attempt to express anArt is the attempt to express an
individual's feelings or ideasindividual's feelings or ideas
about something in a way thatabout something in a way that
others find beautiful, graceful,others find beautiful, graceful,
or pleasingor pleasing
jschmied©2012
15. Science is the attempt toScience is the attempt to
make public and,make public and,
repeatable conclusionsrepeatable conclusions
about the natural world.about the 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
16. 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 scientificEngineers use scientific
knowledge to generateknowledge to generate
technology.technology.
iphone5unlock1.com
madassgamers.com
17. What IsnWhat Isn’t Science?’t Science?
Science is oftenScience is often
confused with Truthconfused with Truth
and Certainty. Itand Certainty. It ’s’s
just not so…just not so…
ScienceScience IsnIsn’t’t TruthTruth
jschmied©2012
•• Most scientists seek Truth; theyMost scientists seek Truth; they
don't know or generate Truthdon't know or generate Truth ..
Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of Georgia
Sheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama
18. •• Scientists use evidence toScientists use evidence to
propose and test theories, knowingpropose and test theories, knowing
that future evidence may change,that future evidence may change,
revise, or even reject today'srevise, or even reject today's
theories.theories.
What IsnWhat Isn’t Science?’t Science?
ScienceScience IsnIsn’t’t
CertaintyCertainty
Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of Georgia
Sheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama
jschmied©2012
19. •• Science and beliefScience and belief
systems are verysystems are very
different, in what they trydifferent, in what they try
to do and in theto do and in the
approaches each use toapproaches each use to
accomplish their goals.accomplish their 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 Georgia
Sheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama
jschmied©2012
20. ScienceScience’s underlying’s underlying
assumptions are testedassumptions are tested
and retested usingand retested using
observable physicalobservable physical
evidenceevidence..
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
What Isn’t Science?
Science Isn’t Religion
Science seeks to explainScience seeks to explain
the origin, nature, andthe origin, nature, and
processes of theprocesses of the
physically detectablephysically detectable
universe.universe.
Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of Georgia
Sheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama
http://blog.baliwww.com/wp-content/photos/palasari_church_1.jpg
21. 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/sp
ace_level2/aldrin_big.gif
jschmied©2012
22. 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
23. 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
