1. Natural Science 4/28

2. Agenda Science and Media Question Science and Pseudo-Science END GOAL: How to we obtain knowledge in science? Is it reliable?

3. Question 1 How are scientists viewed in popular culture, such as novels and movies? Are they generally seen as heroes or as villains?

4. Allure of “Science” The word SCIENCE is like a stamp of approval or guarantee of quality o Advertisers appeal to status of science to sell products o Charlatans describe dubious medicines and remedies as scientific

5. Allure of Science

6. Feng Shui o Belief that physical positions in home can affect balance and harmony Graphology o Belief that analyzing handwriting can learn about character Paranormal Studies o Ghosts and Aliens Phrenology o Structure of a person’s skull determines their character and mental ability Acupuncture o Belief that needles in body can restore energy and cure disorders/pain Astrology o Belief that our character is determined by celestial bodies at time of birth Creationism o Theory of evolution is false Crystology o Belief that crystals have magical healing powers

7. Science and Pseudo- Science We need criteria for distinguishing science from pseudo-science. Pseudo-science = fake science What distinguishes a pseudo-science is that it claims that status of science while lacking evidence.

8. Question 2 What is the difference between astronomy and astrology? What is astronomy classified as science and astrology not? Do you agree with the classification?

9. Question 3 As a scientist, how would you go about trying to test the claims of astrology?

10. 5 th : Agenda Finish Science vs. Pseudo-Science Begin work with the scientific method Goal: How do we obtain knowledge in the natural sciences? Is that knowledge reliable?

11. Differences Main difference: scientific hypotheses are testable, pseudo-scientific ones are not Two ways that pseudo-scientific hypotheses protect themselves from being testable: o Vagueness o Ad hoc exceptions

12. Vagueness If a statement is sufficiently vague, it will be impossible to verify or falsify it. o “Quartz crystals can restore the balance and energy of your life.” o We need criteria!!! Balance? Energy? Time period?

13. Ad hoc exceptions “All swans are white.” Here is a blue one. “All swans are white except that one.” A good scientific hypothesis is one that is general in nature and does not keep making exceptions every time someone gives a counter-example.

14. 3 rd : Agenda Review Science vs. Pseudo-Science question Begin work with the scientific method End Goal: How do we gain knowledge in the natural sciences? Is that knowledge reliable?

15. Quote 1 “Astrology had an important role in the ancient world. You can’t understand many things unless you know something about astrology – the plays of Shakespeare and so on.” –Steven Pinker Are there benefits to knowing the details of astrology? Why do you think it has lost importance as time has gone on?

16. Scientific Method I get that it is science (biology, chemistry, physics) but you are not telling me WHY There is a METHOD that can distinguish science from pseudo-science THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD!!!!!!!!!!!

17. Inductivism Traditional picture of the scientific method = inductivism 1 –observation 2 – hypothesis 3 – experiment o Controllability o Measurability o Repeatability 4 – law 5 – theory

18. Example: Copernican Revolution Claudius Ptolemy (85-165) o Greek Astronomer o The earth is the center of the universe o Seemed natural o THAT ALL CHANGED….

19. Scientific Method Hypothesis o Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) suggests that the sun is the center and the planets revolve around it Observation o People made new observations and it was hard to accommodate them under Ptolemy’s model

20. Scientific Method Law o Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) developed laws of planetary motion based on observations and discoveries Prediction/Experiment o The size of Venus should vary if it orbits the sun o Galileo (1564-1642) looked through a telescope in 1609 – COPERNICUS WAS RIGHT!

21. Scientific Method Theory o Isaac Newton (1642-1727) came up with the theory of gravity o His physics enabled later astronomers to discover Uranus (1781) and Neptune (1846)

22. Quote “There are two objectionable types of believers: those who believe the incredible and those who believe that ‘belief’ must be discarded and replaced by the scientific method.” –Max Born What does this quote mean? What are the implications of this quote?

23. Quote “To mistrust science and deny the validity of scientific method is to resign your job as a human. You’d better go look for work as a plant or wild animal.” P.J. O’Rourke Do you agree or disagree with this quote? How can you connect this quote to the current events in our country right now?

24. Question 4 “I’d seen the movie ‘Paranormal Activity’ and was convinced for weeks that it was real.” –Lauren Stamile What would it take to convince you that paranormal activity is real/is not real?