Introduction to Science

Science is two things: A Body of Knowledge – FACT: your body usually has 206 bones, depending on how you count them – This is commonly referred to as science, but really it’s a product of scientific inquiry A Process – The scientific method is used to explore the universe in search of facts and conclusions – Numbers are facts, conclusions are subjective

Extremely Important: We use facts to draw conclusions – These conclusions may be subjective! These conclusions, when agreed upon, may be used to collect new facts – This is the progress of science! When conclusions are shown to be faulty, “facts” based on them must be thrown out! – This happens all the time!

Misuse of Science FACT: The Earth is 4.5 billion years old MORE CORRECT: According to radioisotope dating, which is based on reliable and repeatable experiments using rocks of different kinds in conjunction with theoretical nuclear physics, the oldest rocks on earth are 4.5 billion years old, which is also the estimated age of rocks from space and the moon, which according to theoretical modeling should have been formed at the same time as the Earth. See why people will just say FACT?

Also possible: The Earth is actually closer to 6 billion years old, but isotope decay speeds up over time and we don’t know about it yet God made the earth 6,000 years ago but made the rocks so that they appeared to be 4.5 billion years old We’re all in the Matrix right now

Scientific Method The process of building conclusions and then obtaining new data based on these conclusions is known as the scientific method Uses critical thinking and two kinds of reasoning – Inductive reasoning: Coming up with an explanation that fits available data – Deductive reasoning: If-then statements

Steps of Scientific Method Observation Ask Question Formulate Hypothesis Make Prediction Experiment (observation or intervention) Analyze results Formulate conclusion – Hypotheses that withstand repeated testing are known as theories but are still open to modification!

Scientific Method Diagram

Practical Application For those of you who think this is all boring and stupid, consider this following scenario: You are a parent and your baby is crying. WHY IS YOUR BABY CRYING? I submit to you that you will not just ask your baby why it’s crying, but you will instead try to find out empirically

We are all Scientists Everyone uses their own version of the scientific method every time they are posed with a question! Science as a process is something everyone can intuitively understand The key is to ask the right question and be objective about what the answers may be!

Critical Thinking The buzzword “critical thinking” very broad, but very important for science Observe this newspaper article headline: – What are the FACTS? – What are the IMPLICATIONS?

“Common” Sense Critical thinking is one of the most important skills you can develop in school – Often synonymous with common sense, which unfortunately not terribly common The decisions we make every day about our food and money can easily be driven by faulty information!

Control & Experimental It is impossible to make a comparison without some kind of control group Example (fictional): I made $500 yesterday. Is that a lot? – YES if you compare it to yourself probably – YES if you compare it to the global yearly income – YES if I did it waiting tables – NO if I risked my life to do it – NO if you compare it to other people my same age or who were in my same college graduation class – DEFINITELY NO if you compare it to Mitt Romney

Control Group A control group provides a basis for comparison A control group is vital for testing drugs, but also key to many other experiments – Also vital: large sample size, good use of statistics

Science and Controversy Science produces a lot of controversy – Naturally, since science is deeply involved in our lives! Science should be used to become right, not to prove you are right! – Trying to prove you’re right means you have already emotionally accepted your own position as fact!

Controversies in Human Biology Embryonic stem cell research Cloning Abortion Rationing medical care Genetic engineering of humans and animals Steroid and other drug uses

Why are these controversial? Because people have different values! Please, in this class, show respect for the values of others! – Do not expect others to respect your own values if you do not!

Isn’t this fun?!?! Hearing facts is easy Learning facts is less easy Internalizing facts is less easy Learning critical thinking is even less easy Applying critical thinking to your own thinking… that’s hard! We’re going to work hard this semester! (Because things worth doing are always hard)

See you next week! Remember, starting next Monday, group quizzes at the start of class will be on the readings and/or videos for that day’s lesson!