Difference between revisions of "Science?"
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+ | ===What is science? === | ||
+ | To “do science” is to follow a prescribed method to arrive at knowledge. The “scientific method” is not a belief system or religious dogma, but rather a manner of thinking and working towards more complete knowledge of the world. It has been proven to be extremely successful in: | ||
+ | * '''explaining''' the world as we observe it; | ||
+ | * '''predicting''' what can be further observed, e.g. new observations, new locations, repeat observations, the effect of interventions; | ||
+ | * '''engineering''', i.e. building things that work. | ||
+ | Science is '''not prescriptive''' – it can not say what “ought” to be done. It can, however, point out the probable consequences of certain actions, as objectively as possible. | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''Characteristics of scientific knowledge''' | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Self-criticism | ||
+ | * Evidence-based | ||
+ | * Theory-based | ||
+ | * Transparency | ||
+ | * No appeal to authority | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Types of sciences=== | ||
+ | * Scientific activity can be classified as experimental, observational, or historical. All three require a separate step of model building. | ||
+ | * Experimental | ||
+ | * Observational | ||
+ | * Historical | ||
+ | |||
===Key points of scientific method=== | ===Key points of scientific method=== | ||
* The scientific method is a manner of thinking and working towards more complete knowledge of the world. | * The scientific method is a manner of thinking and working towards more complete knowledge of the world. |
To “do science” is to follow a prescribed method to arrive at knowledge. The “scientific method” is not a belief system or religious dogma, but rather a manner of thinking and working towards more complete knowledge of the world. It has been proven to be extremely successful in:
Science is not prescriptive – it can not say what “ought” to be done. It can, however, point out the probable consequences of certain actions, as objectively as possible.
Characteristics of scientific knowledge
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