Week 1 What is Science?

Tutorial

think

1. What is science?

2. How does scientific knowledge comes about?

Create/Innovate

your image of a scientist? (Draw)

Reflect

Has your conception of science changed? Can you be a scientist?

What is science?
Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning "knowledge" or
"knowing") is the effort to discover, and increase human
understanding of how the physical world works.

Knowledge in science is gained through research. The methods of

scientific research include the generation of hypotheses about
how natural phenomena work, and experimentation that tests
these hypotheses under controlled conditions.

The outcome or product of this empirical scientific process is the

formulation of theory that describes human understanding of
physical processes and facilitates prediction.

According to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, the definition

of science is "knowledge attained through study or practice," or
"knowledge covering general truths of the operation of general
laws, esp. as obtained and tested through scientific method
concerned with the physical world."

Some Other Definitions of Science

1. the systematic observation of natural events and conditions in

order to discover facts about them and to formulate laws and
principles based on these facts.

2. the organized body of knowledge that is derived from such

observations and that can be verified or tested by further
investigation.

3. any specific branch of this general body of knowledge, such as

biology, physics, geology, or astronomy.

Academic Press Dictionary of Science & Technology

Science is an intellectual activity carried on by humans that is
designed to discover information about the natural world in
which humans live and to discover the ways in which this
information can be organized into meaningful patterns. A
primary aim of science is to collect facts (data). An ultimate
purpose of science is to discern the order that exists
between and amongst the various facts.

Dr. Sheldon Gottlieb in a lecture series at the University of South

Alabama

Science involves more than the gaining of knowledge. It is the

systematic and organized inquiry into the natural world and
its phenomena. Science is about gaining a deeper and often
useful understanding of the world.

from the Multicultural History of Science page at

Vanderbilt University.

Science consists simply of the formulation and testing of

hypotheses based on observational evidence; experiments
are important where applicable, but their function is merely
to simplify observation by imposing controlled conditions.

Robert H. Dott, Jr., and Henry L. Batten, Evolution of the

Earth (2nd edition)

Science alone of all the subjects contains within itself the lesson
of the danger of belief in the infallibility of the greatest
teachers in the preceding generation . . .As a matter of fact, I
can also define science another way: Science is the belief in
the ignorance of experts.

Richard Feynman, Nobel-prize-winning physicist, in The Pleasure of

Finding Things Out as quoted in American Scientist v. 87, p. 462
(1999).
 THE GIFT OF SCIENCE
Constantly enhancing the mind
Letting us search until we find
The answer to our sudden birth
On this caring sanctuary we call Mother Earth
Or to become even more superior
And make those who challenge our existence
inferior
The hunger to reach our goals is so extremely vast
Hoping science may be our holy repast
Come and observe our constant yearn
Of the knowledge that science offers us to learn
We often foolishly go to the edge
Yet science has saved us from jumping off the
ledge
The more we come to know
The farther we may boldly go
Whatever scientific knowledge man may reap
Using common sense, he shall surely keep
For it may be the key that man can use
To unlock the secrets of a mythical muse
Science exists for the benefit of man
Waiting to be explored so one can reveal
the universe's master plan.
-Jonathan Woo

Science As A Process

Scientific process refers to bodies of techniques for investigating

phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and
integrating previous knowledge.

To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on

gathering observable, empirical and measurable evidence subject
to specific principles of reasoning.
A scientific method consists of the collection of data through
observation and experimentation, and the formulation and testing
of hypotheses.

Although procedures vary from one field of inquiry to another,

identifiable features distinguish scientific inquiry from other
methodologies of knowledge. Scientific researchers propose
hypotheses as explanations of phenomena, and design
experimental studies to test these hypotheses. These steps must
be repeatable in order to dependably predict any future results.
Theories that encompass wider domains of inquiry may bind
many hypotheses together in a coherent structure. This in turn
may help form new hypotheses or place groups of hypotheses
into context.

Elements of scientific method or process

There are many ways of outlining the basic method shared by all
fields of scientific inquiry. The following examples are typical
classifications of the most important components of the method
on which there is wide agreement in the scientific community and
among philosophers of science. There are, however,
disagreements about some aspects.

The essential elements of a scientific method are iterations,

recursions, interleavings, and orderings of the following:

• Characterizations (observations, definitions, and

measurements of the subject of inquiry)

• Hypotheses (theoretical, hypothetical explanations of

observations and measurements of the subject)

• Predictions (reasoning including logical deduction from the

hypothesis or theory)

• Experiments (tests of all of the above)

Each element of a scientific method is subject to peer review for

possible mistakes. These activities do not describe all that
scientists do (see below) but apply mostly to experimental
sciences (e.g., physics, chemistry). The elements above are often
taught in the educational system.

Scientific method is not a recipe: it requires intelligence,

imagination, and creativity. It is also an ongoing cycle, constantly
developing more useful, accurate and comprehensive models and
methods. For example, when Einstein developed the Special and
General Theories of Relativity, he did not in any way refute or
discount Newton's Principia. On the contrary, if the
astronomically large, the vanishingly small, and the extremely
fast are reduced out from Einstein's theories — all phenomena
that Newton could not have observed — Newton's equations
remain. Einstein's theories are expansions and refinements of
Newton's theories, and observations that increase our confidence
in them also increase our confidence in Newton's approximations
to them.

A linearized, pragmatic scheme of the four points above is

sometimes offered as a guideline for proceeding:

1. Define the question

2. Gather information and resources (observe)
3. Form hypothesis
4. Perform experiment and collect data
5. Analyze data
6. Interpret data and draw conclusions that serve as a starting
point for new hypothesis
7. Publish results
8. Retest (frequently done by other scientists)

Science Attitude and Noble Values

What are the characteristics of a scientist?

I would say the curiosity is the main trait that drives a scientist.
Why does something work? When does an event occur? How can
I recreate this event? And so on. A formal education helps, but is
not always necessary for success. Look into the histories of
Edison and Westinghouse, and you will see that their main
education came not from schooling, but from experience and
trying to "see why things worked".

Chris Murphy

Scientists come in all shapes and sizes, just like everyone else.
What I think you mean is, "What attitude or aptitude do scientists
have?" I think the short answer is a scientist is always asking:
How? Why? does Nature behave the way it does? This is the
distinguishing attitude all scientists must possess -- it is not like
people in other fields do not have these qualities, though. The
education and training of a scientist is important, but without an
inquiring mind, all the education in the world will not produce
a good scientist.

Vince Calder Fernando

I do not have an author to quote with a profound answer

to your question. I will make a few comments as to
what I have personally experienced in those I feel
fall into the "good" scientist category:

Someone who:

1. has a passion for learning

2. has an open mind and is not disabled by boundaries
of thought
3. can look at situations from many angles
4. is not frustrated in finding one or several
plausible solutions regardless of the time involved,
and who can use failure to improve future approaches
to problem solving
5. uses learned knowledge and theories but is not
fully bound by them in facing new situations , i.e.
can think outside the box
6. can acknowledge input / feelings from others as
one source of information but not be overly swayed by
that input
7. has at their core a desire to improve the human
condition without adversely affecting the environment
or other living things
8. is honest in the collection and analysis of data
whether they support his (her) own theories or not
9. communicates clearly their findings with honesty
as a primary consideration, leaving funding and
politics for others to consider

I am sure there are other good qualities, some

indication of aptitude or intelligence as well as
working with others without ego which could increase
their effectiveness, but lacking these would not make
them ineffective as a scientist.

Bhaskara Rao (1989) stated that the most useful scientific

attitudes are open mindedness, critical mindedness, respect for
evidence, suspended judgment, intellectual honesty, willingness
to change opinion, search for truth, curiosity, rational thinking,
etc.

Scientific attitude is really a composite of a number of mental

habits, or of tendencies to react consistently in certain ways to a
novel or problematic situation. These habits or tendencies include
accuracy, intellectual honesty, open-mindedness, suspended
judgment, criticalness, and a habit of looking for true cause and
effect relationships. It is a cognitive concept; scientific attitudes
are normally associated with the mental processes of scientists.
These habits are important in the everyday life and thinking, not
only of the scientist, but of everyone.

Rationality

It means 'the quality or condition of being rational'. Philosophers

have the view that the aim of science is the achievement of truth
and the avoidance of error (Goldman, 1999). On this view,
science is rational to the extent that the beliefs that it
accumulates are true, and scientific reasoning is rational to the
extent that it tends to produce true beliefs. Rationality, normally
defined as giving reasons for actions or for holding beliefs. Man is
a rational animal. Rationality is the process of using reason or
logic to solve a problem.

Curiosity

Every one shows desire for understanding new situations in

general life. One will get so many new situations if they open
science books but how may of them are interested to understand
them is a big question mark?

Open mindedness

In the language of the general public, open-mindedness means

being open to possible theories and explanations for a particular
phenomenon. But in science, it means that and something more.
Philosopher Jonathan Adler (1998) teaches us that science values
another aspect of open-mindedness even more highly: "What
truly marks an open-minded person is the willingness to follow
where evidence leads. The open-minded person is willing to defer
to impartial investigations rather than to his own
predilections...Scientific method is attunement to the world, not
to ourselves".

Aversion to superstitious beliefs

A superstition is the belief that events are influenced by specific

behaviors, without having a causal relationship. Superstition is
derived from the Latin words "super" (over, beyond) and "sto,
stare" (to stand). Therefore, superstion means one who overly
stands, or not being progressive. A superstition is a false belief
based on ignorance (e.g., if we don't beat the drums during an
eclipse, the evil demon won't return the sun to the sky), fear of
the unknown (e.g., if we don't chop up this chicken in just the
right way and burn it according to tradition while uttering just
the right incantations then the rain won't come and our crops
won't grow and we'll starve), trust in magic (e.g., if I put spit or
dirt on my beautiful child who has been praised, the effects of the
evil eye will be averted), trust in chance (if I open this book
randomly and let my finger fall to any word that word will guide
my future actions), or some other false conception of causation.

Objectivity-intellectual honesty

Objectivity, another form of intellectual honesty in research,

means that we let nature "speak for itself" without imposing our
wishes on it--that we report the results of experimentation as
accurately as we can and that we interpret them as fairly as
possible. Objectivity is critical to the process of science, but it
does not mean that such attitudes must characterize each and
every scientist for science as a whole to work.

Jacob Bronowski (1977) often argued that the unique power of

science to reveal knowledge about the world does not arise
because scientists are uniquely virtuous. It arises because fallible
scientists are immersed in a process of checks and balances--a
process in which scientists are always there to criticize and to
root out errors. Philosopher Daniel Dennett (1999/2000) points
out that "scientists take themselves to be just as weak and
fallible as anybody else, but recognizing those very sources of
error in themselves. They have devised elaborate systems to tie
their own hands, forcibly preventing their frailties and prejudices
from infecting their results".

Suspended judgment

All good scientists are skeptics. This means that they maintain an
attitude of doubt or of suspended judgment about scientific
ideas.In non-legal contexts, a judgment is a balanced weighing
up of evidence preparatory to making a decision. The formal
process of evaluation can sometimes be described as a set of
conditions and criteria that must be satisfied in order for a
judgment to be made. Diederich describes: "A scientist tries hard
not to form an opinion on a given issue until he has investigated
it, because it is so hard to give up opinion already formed, and
they tend to make us find facts that support the opinions... There
must be however, a willingness to act on the best hypothesis that
one has time or opportunity to form."