Great Idea #1 “Science is a way of knowing about the natural world, based on reproducible observations, experiments and theory.”
What is Science? An Overview 1. Science as a way of knowing a. What is science and why is it important? b. How is science different from other ways of knowing? c. The syllabus, Blackboard, and i>Clickers d. The four major branches of science 2. The idealized scientific method a. The nature of scientific questions b. The 4-step scientific method Great Idea #1A: The universe is regular, predictable, quantifiable, and reproducible
Science as a way of knowing What do you do in a science class that’s different from philosophy or dance class? Make observations Take measurements Design and conduct experiments Perform calculations Ensure reproducibility Epistemology – “how we know what we know.” (The three umpires story)
Science as a way of knowing “Science is the search for laws that describe the organization and evolution of the universe.” Most of the really important questions cannot be answered by science, but science can help inform your decisions.
A Hierarchy of Scientific Ideas Fact (a confirmed observation) Hypothesis (an educated guess) Law (a predictive mathematical description of nature) Theory (a well established explanation of nature)
Other Ways of Knowing Art represents a personal vision (the story of Pablo Picasso on a train). In art, each person brings his/her own truth.
Other Ways of Knowing Political Science: different people use the same facts to arrive at different conclusions.
Other Ways of Knowing Religion: Truth comes from revelation or sacred texts. Most theologians do not see a conflict with science, because the questions are different.
Pseudoscience Pseudoscience differs from science: It’s often based on belief, dogma It’s ideas are not testable.
Pseudoscience Evaluation of a claim: Are the ‘facts’ true as stated? Pseudoscience differs from science: It’s often based on belief, dogma It’s ideas are not testable. Evaluation of a claim: Are the ‘facts’ true as stated? Is there an alternative explanation? Is the claim falsifiable? Does the claim require unreasonable changes in accepted ideas?
Who Built Stonehenge?
Who Built Stonehenge?
Why is Science important? Scientific principles are all around us, all the time (look at today’s newspaper!). You’ll need science in your life: As a professional (medicine, law, business)
Why is Science important? Scientific principles are all around us, all the time (look at today’s newspaper!). You’ll need science in your life: As a professional (medicine, law, business) As a consumer
Why is Science important? Scientific principles are all around us, all the time (look at today’s newspaper!). You’ll need science in your life: As a professional (medicine, law, business) As a consumer As a parent
Why is Science important? Scientific principles are all around us, all the time (look at today’s newspaper!). You’ll need science in your life: As a professional (medicine, law, business) As a consumer As a parent As a human being
Science plays important roles in our daily lives. Someday soon you or someone in your family will have a genetic test. Science plays important roles in our daily lives.
Syllabus & Contact Information Office: East Building 202 Hours: Mondays 3:00-4:00pm Phone: 703-993-2163 E-mail: rhazen@ciw.edu Brittany Shamenek: bshameme@masonlive.gmu.edu 4 Exams (100 points each; top 3 count) Final Exam (300 points) i>Clicker questions (25 points each class max; 250 points maximum this semester) Museum visits, lectures, field trips (115 points) Special bonus opportunities!!! (40 points)
i>Clickers What is an i>Clicker How it works Practice question and graph Grading policy 6 questions per class Two questions: automatic 3 points Four questions: 6 points or 1 point 25 points maximum per class 250 points maximum for semester Honor code
i>Clicker Practice Question Turn on your personal i>clicker How many i>Clicker points can you get per class? A. 10 B. 15 C. 20 D. 25 E. 30
The Structure of Science Science is divided into disciplines Historical (natural philosophy) Modern (branches of science) Different Approaches Field researchers Experimentalists Theorists
Branches of Science – Physics The study of matter in motion Classical Physics Mechanics Gravity Thermodynamics Electricity and magnetism Modern Physics Nuclear & particle physics Quantum mechanics Relativity
Branches of Science - Chemistry The study of atoms and their interactions Materials science Organic chemistry (carbon) Inorganic chemistry
Branches of Science – Earth Science Study of the origin of Earth, its present state, the dynamics of Earth and other planets Geology (rocks) Geophysics (interior) Oceanography (oceans) Meteorology (atmosphere)
Branches of Science – Life Sciences (Biology) The study of living systems (at many scales) Molecules Cells Organs Organisms Behavior Ecosystems
Hierarchy of Sciences Physics Chemistry Life Sciences Earth Science
Mathematics: “The Language of Science” How to describe a tree? Using words: Poetic Scientific Mathematical Size, height, diameter Value of lumber
The Role of Math in Science Linear Relationships Source: http://permanite.net/IRL/graph2.jpg
The Role of Math in Science Linear Relationships Source: http://permanite.net/IRL/graph2.jpg
Distance vs. Time of Fall Quadratic Relationships
Science Organizations AAAS = American Association for the Advancement of Science Sigma Xi The National Academies Federal Funding Agencies: NIH = National Institutes of Health NASA = National Aeronautic and Space Administration NSF = National Science Foundation DOD = Department of Defense DOE = Department of Energy
Federal Spending for R & D
Scientific Activities Research Publications (peer review) Conferences Grants Education Government policy Business (R & D)
Scientific Questions Many important questions are beyond science The meaning of life? Is there a God? Personal choices? “Science is the art of substituting unimportant questions, which can be answered, for important question, which cannot.” Kenneth Boulding
Scientific Questions 2. Scientific questions are varied in style: Existence questions: What’s out there? Origin questions: How did they get there? Process questions: How does it work? Applied Questions: How can we use it?
Scientific Questions (continued) Answers to old questions often lead to new questions: “To know anything well involves a profound sense of ignorance” John Ruskin X-rays, tectonic plates, genetic code, buckeyballs SETI
Scientific Questions 4. Scientific questions are often interconnected: + Plate tectonics/evolution + Mass extinction/climate change
Scientific Questions 5. Some questions are not now scientific, but will be someday: + Cosmology in 1908 + Consciousness today
Scientific Questions Most scientific questions cannot be answered completely: Experimental error Uncertainty principle Chaos Speed of light
The Idealized Scientific Method
Periodic Table of Elements Dimitri Mendelev (1834-1907)
Periodic Table of Elements
A Hierarchy of Scientific Ideas Fact (a confirmed observation) Hypothesis (an educated guess) Law (a predictive mathematical description of nature) Theory (a well established explanation of nature)
What Motivates Scientists? (How do scientists measure success?) Curiosity Teaching & inspiring others Peer recognition (publications, grants, awards) Financial gain Power and prestige Scientific fraud: Can you trust scientists?
Dr. Albert Carl Koch
Mastodon Source: http://www.nature.ca/exhibits/popups/images/mastodon.jpg Source: http://www.sdnhm.org/fieldguide/fossils/images/mastodon-melli.jpg
Missouri Leviathan
Basilosaurus Source: http://www.mheine.com/jpeg/basilo.jpg
Albert Karl Koch’s Sea-Serpent
The Nature of Science Science works to defeat fraud and error Bones = Data & observations Assembled Skeletons = Hypothesis Similar type bones = Prediction Germans put together properly = Re-test Science is self-correcting because new discoveries will be tested. FACTS MATTER!
The universe is regular, predictable, quantifiable, and reproducible. What evidence might you offer that this statement is true? What about 5,000 years ago?